The Painted Lady
by Avatard328
Summary: Katara is a troubled girl, living a double life. Known as the painted lady, she rules the underground fighting ring. But when she moves to a new school, can her secret life stay hidden? And can she keep her façade when faced with love? What if the person she falls in love with is just as screwed up as her? ZUTARA! AU/ Modern day
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1- Welcome to Avatar High**

**I've finally gotten around to publishing this! Okay, let me just say I've been dying to write a Zutara. All I've started so far is a Kataang, which is dark and sketchy and creepy (It's pretty good, wanna check it out?). I plan on updating every Friday, so people like discombobulator0329 will have two chapters to read on Friday. So, I plan to make this fanfic 30-ish chapter long, which is cool right? I have no clue how long this will be, but I really want it to be a nice long story.**

**So this is AU, and the first real section will just kind of explain "the fire nation attacked." Then, I'm kind of just introducing the characters. Okay guys, instead of being the characters use different fighting styles. Though it is possible to move around in styles, fighters usually fall into one of the four styles: fencers/ swordsman, wrestlers, tae kwon do senseis, and kick boxers. Chi blocking is universal, though rarely used. Not everyone is a born fighter, just like bending. Snipers are the people able to redirect/ direct lightning, or use blue flames. Let's begin our story.**

**Katara-16**

**Aang-16**

**Zuko-17**

**Sokka-17**

**Toph-16**

**Suki-17**

**Azula-16**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Long ago, all fighters lived in peace- with a corrupt nation, fighters control the government. But the fighters ruled equally, each passing president a different type of fighter in the cycle, and there was peace. Then, the swordsmen attacked.

Using guns as a swifter option, they open fired on a meeting of tae kwon do leaders as they were planning to elect their next leader. Killing most of the officials in the art, the tae kwon do followers scattered into the air. With a disturbance in the cycle, our nation fell into disharmony.

Sensing our vulnerability, another country invaded ours and we were forced to fight the first war on American soil since the civil war. After many years of fighting, we fought them off and created a new government.

As the swordsmen (who had evolved to also have sniper specialists) took over, they created a dictatorship and we have been living as their "inferiors" ever since. They assassinated kick boxers from both styles (southern and Northern), and forced the remainder of the kick boxing fighters underground. With the new danger and poverty left to us, many of us regressed into savagery.

Now the dictatorship is targeting the wrestlers, though they can't find their ever-changing meeting place, Ba Sing Se. As they near victory in scattering the last of the remaining culture of the wrestlers, the country is looking for the sensei fabled to overthrow the dictator, Ozai. After fourteen years of disharmony and dictatorship, the world is growing weary. But I haven't given up hope, even if it's only because it's the only thing I really believe in anymore. I still think he's somewhere out there, waiting to overthrow Ozai.

The sound of her alarm clock ringing consistently pissed Katara off. _Who invented mornings? I will find them and kill them._ Katara thought groggily, getting out of bed and stretching. She woke up early every morning so she could workout, but Katara still dreaded the mornings. _Why do I have to cover the store in the afternoons? I have no time to do anything. _She thought, knowing full well she said this every morning. Her dog tags jingling, she looked down at them.

Mizu-Hakoda-K.-682.12.4302-Catholic

Mizu-Kya-R.-456.01.5813-O Positive-Catholic

Sighing, she looked away. It had been eight years since Katara's mother was killed in action, in her own city. _Protecting me got her killed._ Katara thought, slipping on her sports bra. Soon after her mother's death, her father Hakoda was called to serve in the navy. That left her and her brother Sokka with her crazy grandmother Kanna, a quaint old woman who ran a bakery. When kick boxing was still a civilized art with its own culture, Hakoda had been the sole male successor in a long line of Southern kick boxing style prodigies, though Hakoda himself couldn't fight. _If Ozai didn't take over, either Sokka or I may have led the nation._ She thought silently, pulling on her shorts. Lacing up her shoes, she started her five mile warm up run to the gym. _Doesn't school start today? Crap! _She thought, nearing the gym. _30 minutes. I've gotta do better._ She thought, opening the gym doors.

Since the gym was mainly run by wrestlers (unbeknownst to the swordsmen and snipers), Katara's bloodline and prowess was recognized. "Good morning, miss." He said, bowing in the typical style. Bowing back, Katara raced into the gym and to the empty floor. _Ever since they realized who I am, they allow no one to exercise in the same room as me when I come._ She mused fondly. Pulling on her fingerless cyclist gloves, she approached a dummy. Glancing at her watch, she noted the time was 5:30. _Bell rings at 8:00 and I have no idea how to get there. Gotta cut practice to an hour. _She thought glumly, attacking the dummy with an all-out offense. With her rhythm going, she had the punching bag moving a mile a minute. _It's a shame mom couldn't see me now, her little girl hitting harder than grown men._ She thought, subconsciously hitting the bag even harder. Realizing what she was doing, she stopped the bag and did some pushups. _Easy girl, you don't want to ruin another pair of gloves._

Jogging through the door at 6:55, Katara yelled up to her brother. "Sokka, wake up you louse!" She said, running up to the shower. _It'll take him forever to wake up, as usual._ She thought, briskly improving her hygiene.

Finishing up and grabbing a towel, she speed-walked into her bedroom and blow-dried her hair. Picking out an outfit she approved of, she shoved it on and looked in the mirror. Sporting a blue v-neck with white stitching, a vintage skirt, lacy leggings, vintage combat boots, and of course her parent's dog tags, she smiled. _I finally get to go to Avatar High. _She thought brightly. Though Aang and Toph were the same age as her, the two geniuses had both skipped a grade. "Sokka, you up?" She yelled, receiving a muffled groan from her lazy brother. Picking up her Nerf water gun, she walked into Sokka's room and opened fire on the sleeping boy.

Sokka's eyes popped as the drenched teen scrambled out of his bed. "But Katara, I was getting up! And now I smell like a girl, and I'm all bubbly!" He pouted, looking down at his bed.

Katara rolled her eyes. "You were getting up? That's why you were making out with your towel. We discussed this. I mixed shampoo and the most girlish perfume I could find. So unless you want to smell like a girl, take a shower." She said, looking at the alarm clock. "You might want to hurry, because it's 7:15." She said, crossing her arms.

Sokka scowled._ Madame Fussy Britches bosses me around like she owns the place._ He said, using Toph's nickname. "Whatever Katara, we'll leave by 7:30." He said, heading to the shower. _Baby sisters should not be allowed to come to their older brother's school. _He thought, reaching out to grab a nonexistent towel. "KATARA!"

After breakfast, the teens hopped into Sokka's Camaro and drove off to school. "I still don't understand how Gran-Gran paid for my car _and _your car." Sokka said pointing to Katara's powder blue Mustang parked in the garage.

Katara shrugged. "Her bakery does pretty well." She said quickly, hoping her brother didn't catch her evasiveness. "Oh, look Sokka! There's the school!" She said, efficiently changing the subject. Seeing her friends in the parking lot, she waved. Though she only recognized Aang, Toph, and Suki, she was still eager to meet them.

Aang Kaze, wearing skinny jeans, an orange shirt, and his trademark arrow snapback, waved at the Mizu siblings in Sokka's Camaro. "Sup, Mizu?" He said, looking at Katara and Sokka. The trio had met when Katara was yelling at Sokka on the side of the street and accidentally spilled her water all over Aang. In middle school, he had a crazy crush on Katara. Leaning on his pickup truck, "Appa", he nudged Toph playfully.

Toph Bei Fong had met the Mizus and Aang when they found the girl fighting men twice her size- and winning. As a serious wrestler, she was nicknamed the Blind Bandit because an illness as a child left her deaf and colorblind. The girl was wearing her usual baggy cargo pants with a camisole and a jacket she bought for the Hunger Games movie preview. "Hey Sokka, your girlfriend is waiting for you!" she screamed as Suki hit her.

Suki Senshi waved sheepishly to her boyfriend before finding her skirt and tank top very interesting. They had met when they were visiting her farm so their father's could discuss business. With part of her short brown pinned back to show off her purple color contacts, the head cheerleader for the Kyoshi Warriors (the leader Kyoshi made the school, and the mascot were the warriors. The cheerleaders wore makeup similar to Kyoshi, so the nickname stuck) looked gorgeous as always. When Azula snickered, she glared at her.

Azula Kasai was a gorgeous girl with a bad past. In middle school, she was a controlling queen bee. She had a breakdown and was sent to counseling, but not before stabbing her brother in the chest and stabbing Aang in the back. After therapy, she came back and apologized. Eventually, everyone accepted the girl and she became a good friend of most of the people in the group. The sniper prodigy smiled and waved, despite the fact her skin tight jeans and deep cut red shirt looked extremely uncomfortable.

Zuko Kasai was on top of his Ferrari, and nodded slightly at Katara and Sokka. Considering that the Kasai's father was dictator Ozai, they didn't worry about money a lot. Zuko was kicked out of his house and made to live with his hippie Uncle and the principal of the school, the "once great" General Iroh. No one knew why, but everyone knows that's when he got his scar. The last genius to ask about Zuko's scar got hit in the face. Once his uncle made him see the light, he became kinder and joined the group. When Azula came back from therapy, she also moved in with Iroh. Zuko hadn't met Katara before, so he introduced himself.

Katara smiled. She was finally at school with all of her friends. "Hey losers, what are you up to?" She asked, jumping out of her brother's car. Grabbing her backpack, she joined her friends. "So, who's going to actually show me my classes?" She asked, handing her friends her schedule.

Wing B

1st Period-History with Master Zhao Rm 23

2nd Period- Math with Master Jeong Jeong Rm 42

3rd Period A Day- Philosophy with Guru Pathik Rm 9

3rd Period B Day- Art with Aunt Wu Rm 5

4th Period A Day- PE with Master Bumi Gym

4th Period B Day- Japanese with Master Arnook Rm 1

5th Period- Science with Masters Lo and Li Rm 8

6th Period- English with Master Long Feng Rm 11

Zuko grimaced. "Well, the bad news is you got an evil history teacher, a math teacher obsessed with the danger of swordplay, a philosophy teacher who only drinks banana onion juice, an art teacher who predicts everyone's future, a crack addict gym teacher, Azula's crazy babysitters for science, and an English teacher who wants to take over the school. But we're in the same wing, so I'll show you the way." He said, still frowning over her schedule. _Are they trying to give her the worst teachers in the school?_ He thought, crossing his arms. "You're going to have an interesting first day."

Ty Lee, another Kyoshi warrior and the best chi blocker there is, cart wheeled over and giggled. "Zuko, be positive for once! Your aura's getting dingier just by talking about her schedule! You'll totally break out!" The crazy cheerleader babbled. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Katara." She said, smiling. _Nope, she's definitely going to be crushed. _She thought, looking at the seemingly innocent girl.

Katara balled up her fists. _Worst. Day. Ever. _She thought, hopping into her car. _My teachers are crazy, and I can't stand any of them. _Grabbing her emergency bag out of her trunk and looking through it, Katara sighed. _Guess I need a second workout today. _She opened the bakery with her spare key and turned on the lights. Sitting behind the counter, she turned on her iPod and switched to her _Pissed off _playlist. _And could Zuko have been any more annoying?_

"_White knuckles _

_And sweaty palms from hanging on too tight_

_Clench of jaw, _

_I've got another headache again tonight_

_Eyes on fire, eyes on fire, and the burn from all the tears_

_I've been crying, I've been crying, I've been dying over you_

_Tie a knot in the rope, tryna hold, tryna hold,_

_But there's nothing to grab so I let go_

_I think I've finally had enough,_

_I think I maybe think too much_

_I think this might be it for us _

_(Blow me one last kiss)_

_You think I'm just too serious, _

_I think you're full of shit_

_My head is spinning so _

_(Blow me one last kiss)_

_Just when it can't get worse, _

_I've had a shit day _

_You've had a shit day, _

_We've had a shit day _

_I think that life's too short for this, _

_I'll pack my ignorance and bliss_

_I think I've had enough of this, _

_Blow me one last kiss_

_I won't miss _

_All of the fighting that we always did,_

_Take it in, _

_I mean what I say when I say there is nothing left_

_No more sick, whiskey-dick, no more battles for me_

_You'll be calling a trick, 'cause you'll no longer sleep_

_I'll dress nice, I'll look good, I'll go dancing alone_

_I will laugh, I'll get drunk, I'll take somebody home_

_I think I've finally had enough, _

_I think I maybe think too much_

_I think this might be it for us _

_(Blow me one last kiss)_

_You think I'm just too serious, _

_I think you're full of shit_

_My head is spinning so_

_(Blow me one last kiss)_

_Just when it can't get worse, _

_I've had a shit day _

_You've had a shit day, _

_We've had a shit day _

_I think that life's too short for this, _

_I'll pack my ignorance and bliss_

_I think I've had enough of this, _

_Blow me one last kiss._

_Dadadadadada_

_Blow me one last kiss_

_I will do what I please, anything that I want_

_I will breathe, I will breathe, I won't worry at all_

_You will pay for your sins, you'll be sorry my dear_

_All the lies, all the lies, will be crystal clear_

_I think I've finally had enough, _

_I think I maybe think too much_

_I think this might be it for us _

_(Blow me one last kiss)_

_You think I'm just too serious, _

_I think you're full of shit_

_My head is spinning so_

_(Blow me one last kiss)_

_Just when it can't get worse, _

_I've had a shit day _

_You've had a shit day, _

_We've had a shit day _

_I think that life's too short for this, _

_I'll pack my ignorance and bliss_

_I think I've had enough of this, _

_Blow me one last kiss._

_Nananana Dadadada_

_Nananana Dadadada_

_Nananana Dadadada_

_Blow me one last kiss_

_Nananana Dadadada_

_Nananana Dadadada_

_Nananana Dadadada_

_Blow me one last kiss."_

Since no one else was in the store, she sang the song out loud while she baked cookies in the back. Katara absolutely hated that song, but it fit with her mood that day. As she walked back into the room, a voice stopped her.

"Nice voice, Katara. I didn't know you could sing." Jet said appreciatively from in front of the corner. She had met him in English, and he had hit on her for the rest of the day. He was hot- with tall, lanky features, tanned skin, brown, scraggly hair, and eyes to die for. But he was stupid and flirted with every girl he saw.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Jet. But how on Earth did you find me? What did you do, stalk me?" She joked, pulling brownies out of the oven. _You, sir, are a manwhore. Have a good day._

Jet rubbed the back of his neck. "About that… I really want to go out with you." He said, trying to make eye contact from the evasive girl. _Sexy time. _(**AN: I just had to. I'm not even sorry.)**

Katara rolled her eyes. "Jet, first of all you stalked me to my job. That's really weird. Second, you flirt with every girl you see." She said, putting the brownies on display.

Jet looked down. _She can't honestly resist me, can she? _"But you're special." He said, making a smolder that he was sure she couldn't resist.

Katara just stared at him. _Time to pull out the big guns, Katara. If he doesn't leave me alone after this, he's the biggest douche I've ever met. _"My parents said that I'm not allowed to date until my Dad comes back from the Navy. That was one of the last things my mom wanted from me, and I can't dishonor her final wishes." She said, clutching her dog tags fiercely. _Seriously, dude. Leave me alone._ Katara didn't mind lying about her mother at all.

Jet's jaw dropped. "Oh, I'm so sorry Katara. I understand completely." He said, looking at the ground. _She'll come around eventually. _"I guess I should go." He said, walking out the door.

Katara grinned evilly. _I'm the best liar ever._ _Finally, he's gone._ Looking at the clock, she saw it was six. _Time for my anger workout. _She grabbed her emergency bag and changed in the back, before changing the sign to "closed" and setting off to run. _It's only ten miles there. No big deal._ Picking up her phone, she texted Sokka.

**Katara: gonna b l8 4 dinner, sry. I'll make u a feast 2 make up 4 this :)**

**Sokka: u better make stewed c prunes, Kat.**

**Katara. Will do.**

Beating the crap out of the punching bag, Katara made a feeble attempt to wipe the sweat out of her eyes. Switching to the kicking stands, she accidentally kicked one over. _Stupid school._ She thought as she picked up the fallen stand and started bench pressing it. _Making me improvise. Stupid sexist Arnook. _20. 21. 22. _Lo and Li make no sense, ever. _45. 46. 47. _Stupid Zuko, being hot. Couldn't he show me around being ugly? _The last thought made her drop the stand on herself. _Where did THAT come from? _

Walking into the gym, Zuko was stopped by two guards. "Sorry, sir. You can't go in there. It's…. uh… rented out." The guard finished pathetically. "No one is allowed in, no matter political standing." He said, feeling the need to tell the teen he didn't care who his parents were. _Actually, maybe we should let the girl beat the crap out of him for interrupting her workout._

Zuko was angered by the guard. "What man thinks he can just rent out the weightlifting section? I need to give him a piece of my mind!" He said, stomping his foot. As he noticed a guard laughing, he became even angrier. "WHAT?!" He roared, towering over the man. "Other guys need to work out, too!" He said childishly. He knew her didn't really _need _to work out. But this would help him get his mind off of a certain blue eyed beauty. _Come on Zuko, what about Mai? _No one knew if Zuko and Mai were together, since Mai showed pretty much no emotion. But the group was pretty sure they were an item. _But Katara doesn't know that. What if you led her on? Come on, she doesn't like you at all. She might!_ "LET ME IN!" He roared.

The guard wasn't even scared of the young man, though he easily stood 6' or 6'3" feet tall. He just imagined the look on his face if he saw the young woman, who couldn't reach 5'2" on her best day and couldn't tip the scales at 100 pounds soaking wet bench pressing things twice her size and beating a punching bag. "N-nothing, sir." He said, stammering furiously from his own joke.

Katara heard scuffling outside and decided it was about time to leave. Doing one last set of moves, she walked out the back door and back in the front, finding Zuko yelling at one of her many friends at the gym. "Hey, Zuko. Hey, Mr. Gado. Is the gym open?" She asked, hoping he would get the hint. Looking at her watch, she feigned surprise. "Actually, I have to go. Bye!" She said, running quickly in the direction she came. _If Zuko found out… that would suck._ She thought, jogging back. _Then he'd only be a few steps away from figuring out… other things._

"Hey, Sokka. What's up?" She asked casually, setting the groceries on the countertop. _Okay, what's my excuse today?_

Sokka groaned. "You were gone for TWO EXTRA HOURS! Where were you and why are you sweaty?" He asked, curious.

Katara grinned. "Well, I tried to run three miles in under thirty minutes, and then I got groceries." She said meekly.

Sokka blinked at her. "Sis, you are one of the most un-athletic people I know. You couldn't run three miles at all." He said, hands on hips.

Katara rolled her eyes behind his back. "I know. At least I didn't try to like, bench press anything." She lied, knowing full well what she could do. _He's lucky I never get mad, or I'd probably bench press him. _She thought with a smirk. _How much could the guy weigh- 170? He's barely six foot._ _I could bet I could do reps until he was tired._

Sokka turned around and eyed her. "You know better than to do strength training."

Katara laughed. _If only you knew._

**Did you guys like it?**

**Okay, I know Katara's OOC for her. But it's AU and I've decided this is something that could've happened. Instead of becoming a mother figure for Sokka, she became tough, bitter, and secretive. **

**This chapter was SO Kataracentric; I was just trying to build up her character. Don't worry; it won't be like this for long. Unless you want it to be…The next chapter is Taang fluffiness, and then I have a little Zutara, then we have Yukka/ Sukka. I'm just building up relationships and creating character growth before I implement the plot. I hope you guys liked this! **

**So please review, guys! All you have to do is hit the button and say a few words of appreciation (or hate, whatever works) for this. Though I will warn you that flames will be picked apart and you may feel a little dumb after saying it. But feel free to write out your feelings! If you give me a little criticism it'll be that much better!**

**How many reviews can we get?**

**R&R!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**If you type teacher into Google translate, its Japanese equivalent is Kyoshi. So are they the Kyoshi warrior's because their first purpose was teaching Sokka? Who knows, ignore my babbling.**

**Thanks for all the reviews. You guys rule.**

**10pandaluvr: Thanks! Yes, Sokka does seem to be the oblivious type.**

**TearsOnTheRiver: I would've done more about her crappy school day, but I think it moght've taken away from her raw frustration- I dunno, it's just me. But I like the idea of you guys figuring that part out for yourselves.**

**Findingtheperfectending: Thanks! I want to know what happens, too.**

**Oh well this name was taken: Katara is sharper and wittier. I just don't like her looking like a dumb blonde. I'm sorry if I was unclear. Basically: He was just ticked off because he couldn't go in the gym. (Plus I was giving their heights and Katara's weight.) I was not planning on adding Jun, but I can add her in. :)**

**The 13****th**** heart: Why thank you. I will write!**

**I don't own Avatar, sadly. **

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Jumping out of the shower, Katara carelessly put on some dark skinny jeans, her converse, a plain white tee shirt, and a jacket. Shoving her hair back into a half-ponytail (spare two pesky pieces of bangs), she looked in the mirror. _You can tell I really care about how I look. _She thought, jangling her dog tags as she walked into Sokka's room. Seeing he was already up, she frowned. _Now what am I supposed to do with my Nerf gun? _"Sokka, I'm going to leave early so I can grab something at Jasmine Dragon." She said, flicking her keys around for emphasis. Taking her Nerf gun to give to Toph, she opened the garage door.

Hopping into her baby, she sped off. _I couldn't live without this car._ She thought goofily, entering the Jasmine Dragon. Seeing a face she hoped wouldn't appear, she groaned. _Seriously, you have to be here? Couldn't you be more of a coffee person? _The Jasmine Dragon was a little hipster filled tea shop run by one of Katara's favorite adults, Iroh. He ran the school for the purpose of educating young minds, as his "contribution to society." But the Jasmine Dragon was his pride and joy. Trying to ignore the eyes settled on the back of her head, she smiled and went up to Iroh. "Good morning, Uncle Iroh!" She said happily, referring to him the way he requested to be called by the Mizus and Toph. "I would die for some ginseng tea." She said, settling down in a comfy chair.

Iroh smiled at the girl. _It's a shame she isn't better friends with Zuko. She'd be good for him._ "Good morning, Miss Katara. I'll have my nephew bring it out for you." He said, winking. Walking back, he looked as his hard working nephew in an apron. "Nephew, please bring the gorgeous young lady sitting in the chair her ginseng tea." He said, smiling.

Zuko's eyes rolled. "Uncle, do you have to always set me up with someone?" He complained to no one in particular. Walking over, he heard the girl's conversation.

"Jet, I told you that I don't want to date you."

"But I know you have to like me."

"Why would I like an egotistical jerk?

Ouch. This girl was giving him some crap. "Uh, miss? I have your tea." He said, looking at the girl. _Oh crap, it's Katara._ He blushed a little, knowing she would never let him go for wearing an apron. When her ocean eyes settled on him, she smiled. _Weird._

"Hey, Zuko! I didn't realize you worked here!" She said, setting her tea down on a table and hugging Zuko. Ignoring Jet, she looked up at Zuko. "Nice apron. But don't you have to leave soon, since school starts soon?" She asked curiously.

Zuko hit his head. Iroh didn't come into school until noon, but usually remembered to give him a ride. "Is there any way you could give me a ride?" He asked, slightly embarrassed.

Katara grinned. Picking up her tea, she shrugged. "I don't see why not, Mr. Apron. Let me just say goodbye first." She said, walking to the counter. Placing her nose on Iroh's cheek and breathing in, she grinned. "Bye, Uncle Iroh_._" She said carelessly, waving her hand and leaving the store.

Zuko just looked at Katara and his uncle. _They definitely know each other. _Marveling at her car for a second, he hopped in. "I take it you know my Uncle?" He asked, counting cars driving by. _And you also know Jet._ He thought, frowning at the thought of his ex-best friend trying to hit on Katara.

Katara looked at him and smiled. "Oh, he's your uncle? That makes sense. And in case you're wondering, I'm not in love with him. It's just an Inuit greeting." She said, shrugging. "And Jet's just this annoying kid in one of my classes." She said, looking at the road.

Zuko's shoulder's lifted a little from his scrunched form. "I wasn't going to ask. So you're Inuit?" He asked, changing the subject flawlessly. _How did she know that? _

Katara smiled a little. "Three quarters Inuit. My grandmother Kanna was born Hawaiian, but they tried to give her an arranged marriage so she moved to the Arctic." She said, reminiscing.

Zuko thought a little. _Hawaii and Canada… aren't those important?_ He thought, knowing he was forgetting something. "I didn't know that they did arranged marriages in Hawaii." He said, realizing that they were almost at school.

Katara smiled. "Well, the Northern tribe- sorry, I'm freaking out over some history project we're working on. I meant the Hawaiian tribes actually do arranged marriages. The chief's daughter would usually be forced to marry by 16." She said, frowning. "Inuit princesses would do it as well, but only in times of war." She said, annoyed.

Zuko was confused. "I thought they were tribes, as in chiefs? Not princesses and kings." He said.

Katara shrugged. "Well, it's pretty much the same thing. It's hereditary, so the chief's daughter is practically a princess. Chief is the same thing as a king in Inuit culture, so a chief's daughter is a princess in the same sense as a chief's son is a prince." _I wonder if I'll ever tell Sokka this. He would strut around all day. "I'm a prince! Give me meat!" _ "So anyways, we're hanging out at Toph's tonight. You want to come?"

Zuko grinned. "Of course."

Walking up to the Bei Fong mansion, Zuko gulped. _This house is almost as big as my father's._ "Hello, I'm Toph's friend?" He asked a guard. The guard nodded, and opened the gate. Driving on with his Ferrari, he saw the group and waved. "Hey guys. What are you up to?" He asked, looking at Katara.

Katara's eyebrow rose. "Where was this when I had to drive you to school? You managed to drive it on the first day of school, too." She asked, arms crossed.

Zuko grinned sheepishly. "Iroh doesn't like having such an expensive car in his lot, because it doesn't 'imitate his loyal customers.' Apparently having a Ferrari in the lot drives away business- I don't know how though. And on the first day of school, he didn't make me work at the tea shop. But I'll have to work from now on so… could you give me a ride to school?" He asked, rubbing his neck.

She rolled her eyes. "Come on moneybags, we're going inside." She said, pulling his hand. Reaching Toph's lounge, Katara looked at everyone else and focused on Toph. "What are we doing today?" She asked, eying the fridge.

Toph read her lips and grinned. "Let's play 'never have I ever'." She said, grabbing her alcohol and freaking Aang out.

"But what if your parents find us? I don't drink, and it could be bad, since alcohol has such bad effects!" He said, wide eyed.

Toph snickered. "You sound like someone off of a Health video. Suck it up! The parent's are out of town, and Katara's 'watching me' because at 16 I need a babysitter." She said, passing everyone a can of beer to start. "Never have I ever driven a car." She said, causing Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Zuko to drink.

Katara narrowed her eyes and grinned. "Never have I ever had parents with severe issues, and dead ones don't count." She said, grinning. Toph's controlling parent's caused her to drink, Suki's alcoholic mother caused her to drink, and Zuko drank for his own reasons.

Zuko grinned evilly. "Never have I ever gone out with a guy." He said, making all of the girls drink.

Katara grinned. _It's time that Aang either gets with Toph, or drinks up._ Leaning over and kissing Toph on the lips, she smiled devilishly. "Never have I ever NOT kissed Toph." She said, making sure that her sentence made sense.

Aang's eyes widened even further. _I can't drink! _You idiot, you think that's what this is about? _Huh? _KISS HER! _Uh…_ Leaning over, he kissed Toph on the lips. "Hah! Now I don't have to drink!" He said, doing his happy dance.

Sokka smirked. He had had a short relationship with Toph, and they had ended on good terms. "Never have I ever either NOT been Toph's boyfriend, and never have I ever NOT had a make out session with Toph lasting over 3 minutes." He said, winking at Toph.

Aang looked over at Toph. "Do you want to go out?"

Toph scowled at him. "Why, so the monk won't have to drink? I'm sorry, but I don't date people so they won't have to chug beer." _Does he really think I'm a slut?_

Aang's face got really red. "Well, the thing is… I really like you." He said, staring at the ground. "And they were just trying to help me make a move…" He said, drifting off before Toph attacked him with kisses.

"Okay, Twinkle Toes. Let's make sure you don't have to drink."

Later that night, they settled down for a movie (after removing all evidence of alcohol). With Toph and Aang making out and Sokka and Suki nowhere to be found, Katara and Zuko found themselves alone watching the movie. Looking down at the girl nodding off, he smiled. She was snuggling up beside him, and he couldn't help but put his arm over her. That is, until he felt his phone vibrating.

**Mai: where r u**

**Zuko: a friends, y**

**Mai: becuz I think ur lying**

**Zuko: y would I b lying**

**Mai: Cuz ur at that gurls house!**

**Zuko: Who is my friend**

**Mai: Quit lying!**

**Zuko: R u jealous?**

**Mai: Y wouldn't I b?**

**Zuko: Bcuz I'm a friend's house, along with her bf and another couple. The only person I care about is u**

**Mai: there better not b some1 else**

**Zuko: Of course not**

**Mai: Wut about Katara?**

**Zuko: Tht girl whose like 2 yrs younger? Babe, she's practically a baby. Besides she's butt ugly :P**

**Mai: haha got that rite! Luv ya**

**Zuko: Same 3 bye baby**

Putting down his phone and going to the bathroom, he felt really guilty. He knew he was lying, and absolutely nothing about her said baby in any way. He freshened up in the bathroom before going back to the movie. Looking, he saw a sticky note.

_Came to and saw Toph and Aang making out, and Zuko, Sokka, and Suki were nowhere to be seen. I'll probably be somewhere that Sokka would kill me for going, so let's just say I'm away for a moment. See you guys tomorrow at school!_

_-Katara :)_

Zuko felt weird. _I wonder where she went._

Katara hadn't cried since her mother died. Since that day, she swore to herself that she wouldn't allow herself to be hurt again. That's why she didn't really fall asleep with Zuko, and how she read his texts. _How could you be so stupid, Katara? That's what you get for trying to let someone in. _Wearing her sports bra and Nikes, she was hitting the punching bag harder than she should, and it was showing. Without her kick boxing gloves, her knuckles were raw and bleeding. _Oh well. I'd rather tape up my hands and get Zuko off my mind._ Not bothering to clear out the gym, she noticed the terrified stares as she re-taped her bloody hands. Attacking the bag again, her mind wasn't really in it. _Why would you even care, Katara? You knew he didn't like you. _Ignoring her ringing phone, she moved to the speed bag.

**Zuko: Hey, where'd you go?**

**Zuko: Hellooo?**

**Zuko: R u okay?**

**Zuko: I'm finding you. Why won't you talk to me?**

**Zuko: Are you dead?**

After a few minutes and a dozen texts, she called Zuko. "Really, dude? I'm trying to sleep. Calm down."She said, smearing a little blood on her phone. Putting it down, she walked into the shower room and sat in a cold shower, not bothering to take off her sports bra or shorts. _He doesn't care, he never will. You can't let anyone in, Katara. The pain of loneliness is nothing compared to betrayal and loss. _

Zuko shook his head. _Seriously, Zuko? You thought she was out there murdered when she had dozed off. Stupid! _He thought, entering the gym. That's when he saw all the blood.

Among some seriously shaken up men, one punching bag, a speed bag, and a bench were all drenched in blood. "Who did this?"He asked a bewildered man.

"It was a girl." He said, unsure of himself. He was going to continue before a young man, approximately Zuko's age, ran through the doors and looked at the scene.

The man was quite good looking, with dark skin and jet black hair. He was a few inches taller than Zuko, and had piercing grey eyes. "Let me guess. She's in the showers?" The man asked a receptionist, who nodded. "I'll go talk to her." He said, ignoring the looks from everyone in the room. _Yes, I'm going to talk to her, though you guys think she's naked and going to attack me._ Walking into the women's shower's, he found her sitting in the shower. "What's wrong?" He had seen her upset before, but never this shaken. The tape was imbedded into her raw skin, and it would probably take a few minutes to take it out.

Katara shook her head. "Just being stupid again, Kyochi. Me and the opposite sex don't mix very well." She said, still sitting under the running water.

Kyochi smiled. "Sure you do. Just because one guy was stupid doesn't mean you can't deal with guys." He said, picking up her trembling hands. Unwrapping the tape, he whispered. "You're smart, and funny, and really strong."He said, discarding the bloodied linens. "And you're absolutely gorgeous. You are the epitome of the strong, silent type." He joked, finishing up her bleeding hands. "Any guy would be lucky to have you." He smiled, picking her up like a baby. Cradled up, she was small and fragile. "I'm taking you home."

Zuko was puzzled. _What did she do, have her period on the gym? "_So did she get cut or something?" He asked, looking at the wreck. _I mean, what happened?_

A man across the room laughed. "Yeah right, buddy. It was like she was possessed." He chuckled, never stopping his sit ups. "She hit so hard that her knuckles were bleeding. Definitely fighting her own demons, that one." He said, looking Zuko in the eye. "A real fighter. Got the guts." He said, interrupted slightly by the man coming out of the showers.

Zuko glanced at the pair. The man was holding a small woman, small enough to be a girl. She looked like a little bird. He couldn't really see her; because the man's finely muscled arm was blocking most of his view. But her body language looked tired and torn. _I feel sorry for that girl._ Walking past a guard, the man smiled. "You know how she gets. Teenagers and our crazy temper tantrums." He said, rolling his eyes. Passing the guy a couple hundred dollar bills, he winked. "That should fix the damage, eh?"

Zuko's jaw dropped. He had grown up in high dollar business, and he knew from experience that this guy had money. Unlike someone trying to impress a client, he wasn't cocky, and he also wasn't nervous. Zuko could bet that this guy had a million or two. That's why he was surprised when he drove away in a 2004 ford focus. _Something's weird about that guy._

Driving up to Katara's house, Kyochi smiled. Seeing only Kanna's car, he turned off his car and picked up Katara. Using the spare key, he opened the door and walked up to Katara's room. Placing her gingerly on her bed, he sat down beside her and stroked her hair. "It's all gonna be okay, Katara. He's stupid, and you're not alone. People here love you and appreciate you." Kyochi continued, taking the braid out of her hair.

Katara was drifting off. She was glad she had friends like Kyochi, who understood. "Kyochi, why are we here?" She asked, lazily.

Kyochi blinked. "As in your room, your house, or this neighborhood? Or do you mean this city, county, state, country, or continent?" He asked, stroking her long locks.

Katara rolled her eyes. "This country. Why would we go somewhere where we're basically hunted, an our great culture is extinct?" She asked, marveling at her hands. _Man, I was upset. Why was I upset?_

Kyochi chuckled. "You know why. You're being ridiculous, Kat." He said, holding up her hands. "You're delirious. Let's get you to sleep." He said, tucking her in and putting his arm around her.

"_I remember tears streaming down your face_

_When I said I'll never let you go._

_When all those shadows almost killed your light_

_I remember you said, don't leave me here alone_

_But that's all dead and gone tonight_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I will be safe and sound_

_Don't you dare look out your window darling_

_Everything's on fire_

_The war outside our door keeps raging on_

_Hold on to this lullaby_

_Even when the music's gone_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I will be safe and sound."_

Glancing at the sleeping girl, he smiled. _Inuit lullabies. Works every time._ Putting his nose to her forehead and breathing in, he smiled. "Goodnight, Katara." Walking to his car, he pulled out of Katara's driveway. _If I ever meet the guy that got Katara that upset…_

Waking up, Toph felt two strong arms around her. _That's right, Aang finally got the balls to ask me out._ Grinning, she turned around and kissed him. "Twinkle Toes, who said you could sleep over?" She joked, fiddling with his hat.

Aang grinned. "Well, making out with you is really hard work." He joked, sitting up. "Crap, today's a Thursday! We have to get to school!" He said, running to his imaginary car. "Oh right… Who's gonna give us a ride?"

Toph rolled her eyes. Pointing to the blue mustang riving up her driveway, she grinned. "Sugar Queen is always prepared." Hopping in the backseat with her boyfriend, she smiled. "So Sugar, don't you have to pick up Sparky?"

Katara's grip on the wheel tightened, much to the dismay of her heavily bandaged knuckles. "Yeah, I do."

**Is it me or did the last scene make no sense? I redid it like four times, but it still sounds weird. Though I hope you can get that Katara just picked up Aang and Toph. And who gets how Katara and Kyochi know each other? If you do, have a cookie.**

**So yeah, have a good day. Oh, the next chap is about ****Jetara ****you'll find out.**

**In case you're wondering, Friday is the day I upload all my chapters.**

**R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**SORRY! I got really behind with school starting. It's hard to be in eighth grade. **

**I have a lot of crap going on right now, so take it easy, okay?**

**Woah, you guys sure know how to keep a girl happy- reviews! So I'll make you happy by answering them- or responding, since most are more of comments. No complaints!**

**TearsOnTheRiver: I can be pretty funny, if I do say so myself. But I will definitely give you chapters!**

**10pandaluvr10: No problem, chica.**

**Luckyschoolgirl: who doesn't? Those who don't need to be converted.**

**Amber Annabeth Blue: Thanks! Will do.**

**Alanna-Banana1987: You're on the right track. I will ALWAYS keep writing.**

**UPDATE: lol, will do.**

**Probably soon, luckschoolgirl, and Fluffy Munchkin: SORRY!**

**This Person: I have a life and had to stop. Kthxbye. **

**So here you go.  
I hope you guys already know this but: I don't own Avatar.**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Speeding off from Toph's house with the two lovebirds in her back seats, Katara grimaced. "Yeah, Zuko's next on the Mizu shuttle bus." Looking at her bandaged hands, she pushed up her jacket nervously. "By the way, I still don't understand his relationship with Mai. Are they together?" She tried to chirp out as smoothly as possible.

Aang rolled his eyes. "It depends on the day. They have the most bipolar, on-and-off-again relationship I've ever seen- unless you count reality television." He said, twiddling Toph's long ebony hair. "I give them a week before they break up again, and then two weeks before they make up and make out."

Katara's stomach churned. "So how long have they been not-so together?" She said, eying a sweet car passing them on the highway. _Talk about dysfunctional. I would be doing them a favor if I broke them up. Except you aren't, Katara. He doesn't like you, and you don't like him._

Toph grinned as Aang tried horribly to mimic Toph's usual bun. "Well Sugar Queen, I'd say that they've been together- sort of- for the better part of a year or two. But they've known each other since they were kids. Miss Emo always had a thing for Sparky." She said, surreptitiously scooting onto Aang's lap.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Get a room you guys. Or better yet, you should save my innocent eyes." She said sticking her tongue out. Nearing the Jasmine Dragon, she slowed to a stop. "Alright, Arrow Head. Time to haul your weight and pick up Zuko." She said, unlocking his door.

Zuko shuffled his feet as he reluctantly walked over to a table full of giggling girls. _They come in every day, and it's definitely not for the tea. _Placing their drinks on a table, he was relieved to see Aang come in the door. Ignoring the disappointed sighs of the girls, her practically sprinted to Katara's car. "I think you guys may have just saved the lives of a few teenage girls." He grumbled, taking off his apron.

Katara chuckled. "I would've come in to save your butt, except that there's a certain guy in there that _doesn't shut up_. " She said gritting her teeth. _If Jet tries to talk to me one more time, I may just kill him._

Aang's eyebrow rose. He was definitely over his crush on Katara, but he was still adorably defensive of her. "Who? Cause you know, I could totally take him out." He said, showing off his muscles.

Katara rolled her eyes. _Believe me Aang, I don't need protection. _"No, he's just super annoying. You know Jet?" She asked the boy in the backseat.

Toph laughed. "Everyone knows Jet. He's been with everyone on campus, except for you, me, and Meng. Meng because she's creepy, and me because I'd beat him to a pulp if he tried to hit on me." She joked, settling into Aang's arms for emphasis. "You're just the next on the list, Sugar Queen. He's gonna have a fit when you turn him down."

Katara laughed. But then a thought wormed its way into her brain. _Why shouldn't I date him? He's cute, and a perfect way to make Zuko jealous. _"Actually, I might date him." She said carelessly as three mouths dropped open.

Zuko was furious. _Why on Earth would she want to go out with him?_ "Katara, he just uses girls to try to get in their pants. Then he dumps them or cheats on them." He said angrily. _She's being so stupid! _Why do you care? _Because I'm her friend! _

Katara smirked. "Because he's cute, and I've been so high strung lately. Maybe he'll help me relax." She said, shrugging.

Toph snorted. "So you're saying you need a good hookup to calm down? I've done worse things." She said, cracking a grin. "And hooking up does _wonders_ for the soul."

Zuko frowned. _Why do I have such a problem with them going out? _Because you're worried for her. _Right, buddy. That's why you're upset. I bet Mai would love this! _Zuko's subconscious screamed. Guilty, he picked up his phone.

**Zuko: Hey babe**

**Mai: Hi**

**Zuko: What's up?**

**Mai: I hate the world.**

**Zuko: I thought you were over that!**

**Mai: Surprise.**

Zuko groaned. _I can't handle this. _"Hey, Aang? What would you do if your girlfriend was bipolar? And hated everyone?" He asked. "Hypothetically, of course."

Aang rolled his eyes. "Sure you were. Well hypothetically, if Mai was still emo I would dump her. She's not anywhere near what you deserve." He said, sitting up straighter. "Look at Katara and Toph. They're cool, pretty, smart, and they don't hate the world. And that's just the tip of the iceberg for them." He said gesturing to the two girls. "Frankly, I'm surprised you aren't with Ka- oof!" He said before Toph hit him in the gut.

Katara glanced at Zuko. "If you like her, date her. But if you like other girls too or even think about dumping her, you shouldn't date her. Because you don't really like her. Heck, you called her bipolar." She said as they neared the school.

Zuko smirked. "Yeah, but that's only because she is bipolar. But anyways, she's waiting for me in homeroom." He said, hopping out of Katara's car as they drove up to school.

Toph groaned. "Who wears the pants in your relationship, Sparky?" She asked as he ran off. "I swear, that goth chick owns him."

Katara's mouth set in a line. "Well, Mai is pretty controlling." _How would you know? You guys have known each other for three days!_

Aang shook his head. "No, he's like this with all of his girlfriends. He lets them walk right over him. But seriously, I can't believe you two aren't together."

Katara's car slammed to halt. Turning around, she took Aang's hat and threw it out of the convertible. "Now go get it before I seriously hurt you for saying that." She ordered, pointing towards the door.

"Hey Katara, aren't you gorgeous today?" Jet asked suavely, sitting down beside Katara.

Katara took in a deep breath of air. _Focus, Katara. He's annoying and a jerk, but he's also handsome and your one-way ticket to a jealous Zuko. _"Hey, Jet. You don't look so bad yourself." She said with one of the fakest smiles she had ever done. _Well he is pretty cute._

Jet grinned. _Finally!_ "So what's up?" He said ever so casually.

Katara rolled her eyes. _What's up? Seriously, are you a two year old?_ "Picking up everyone and their brother after last night's party." She said before kicking herself. _Crap! Why'd you tell him that?_

Jet's eyebrow rose. "And I wasn't there? Do you _hate _me?" He cried out melodramatically.

Katara giggled. _Kind of, yeah I do. _"Calm yourself! It was only like five or six of us. No big deal." She said shrugging and leaning back in her seat.

Jet grinned. "I'll forgive you, but only if I can come with you to the next one." He said, flipping her long strands of hair around.

Katara sighed. "Fine, but it's not a date. I'll pick you up at 6, so give me a text or something."

Jet rolled his eyes. Whatever you say, Mizu."

Plopping her tray down at lunch, Katara smiled. "Jet's coming to our next party." She said, angering the masses- well, mostly.

"Why? So he can make out with you? I do NOT need to see that!" Sokka yelled.

"Sugar Queen's getting some!" Toph said, high fiving Katara.

"Bad idea, Katara." Suki said, eating another piece of lettuce from her salad.

"Why would you want to go out with that jerk, Katara?" Zuko said angrily.

"Why do you care?!" An annoying and familiar voice said from behind Zuko. Mai was standing there, in all of her dark eyeliner glory, with her arms crossed and jaw set. "Come on, Zuko. You're sitting at _my _table today." She said, grabbing his hand and marching over to a particularly scary looking bunch of people.

"And then there were five." Aang said casually, eating his veggie burger.

Katara stood up. "Look guys, I'm not his girlfriend or anything. I was just talking to him, and he seemed pretty nice. So I invited him to come to one of our parties. And that's final." She said, sitting back down. "We're not going to have sex or anything. He's just going to hang out with us."

Sokka sighed. "Oh innocent Katara. You have much to learn in the ways of men." He said, messing up her hair with a few pats.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Believe me Sokka, I can handle men. Easily." She said, shoving his hand away and patting her hair back down.

Everyone started cracking up. "Sugar Queen, you couldn't keep a guy from manipulating you. You're too sweet to see it before it happened. Jet's gonna toss you around." Toph said in between mouthfuls of chips.

Katara's anger boiled, though she did her very best to control her anger. "Whatever guys, I'm gonna go to science so I can study more." She said, walking out of the room. She didn't have any more classes with the Gaang, so Katara figured she'd skip school for a little of her personal strain of anger management. Slinking out to her mustang, she sped off to the gym.

Zuko was pissed. Mai and her emo friends were taking over Zuko's life! She ordered him around all the time, and Zuko was getting really annoyed. He didn't even get to hear why Katara invited Jet to hang out with them. Jet, Zuko's old best friend who would bed anything that moves. The guy that everyone either knows to stay away from or the guy that has slept with your girlfriend and her sister. Confused, he heads over to science- Katara's next class- to hear her explanation, since he didn't see her at lunch. "Mr. O, where's Katara?" He asked patiently. When the teacher responded that he didn't know where Katara was, Zuko smiled and left. _Whatever, she probably felt sick and cut class._

Katara hated being hurt. As far as her fighting style went, bandaged and raw knuckles were not easily incorporated to a workout. So Katara had settled for kickboxing and running, much to the amazement of bystanders being quietly and unnoticeably ushered politely from the gym. _Come on Katara, your getting lazy. Soon someone's going to find you, and then your whole life will be over. _Katara chuckled. _I'll have to focus on school and my social life, instead of beating up grown men._ Checking the clock, she realized that she needed to get home to get ready for the night's party. _This'll be immensely interesting._

**Man they party a lot. Just saying!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Man, I went to the best party the other day! You should've seen me. Beasting it up, bro. Just saying.**

**RandomFan: Thinking up these text conversations is really fun. I'm glad you like them!**

**TearsonTheRiver: Due to my inherent nerdiness, I'm taking Honors Geometry. Which I'm awful at. I can't WAIT for high school!**

**Seddie-Bat: We all need a little daredevil in our lives, don't we?**

**Sansa: CLARIFICATION TIME! :) okay so he was just singing a "traditional" lullaby to get her to sleep (okay Taylor Swift isn't Inuit… let's just pretend she is!)**

**Here we go!**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

As she got ready, Katara felt like she had a pair of eyes on her. _Why do I even care about this party? It's nothing special and I'm not trying to impress anyone. _Picking out her worn jeans and a form fitting tee shirt, she put her hair into an easy braid. _Breathe easy, silly girl. Jet's just a game, and Zuko is knee deep in Mai's crap. _Effortlessly putting on some minimal makeup, she sighed to herself. _You need to drink this out._ _Which isn't exactly a new idea to you, is it? _Smirking, she realized Sokka had already left.

**Katara: Where'd you go genius? Shouldn't there be someone else in the care?**

**Sokka: Oh… Right…**

**Katara: Seriously? You're kidding me, right?**

**Sokka: Well you were taking too long!**

**Katara: You left fifteen minutes early.**

**Sokka: I was afraid of traffic!**

**Katara: Seriously? You hit like one light on the way over!**

**Sokka: I have to go wash my cat…**

**Katara: The cat's at the house. Nice try, though.**

**Sokka: SHUT UP!**

**Katara: Whatever. I'm going to kill you for this.**

**Sokka: I just don't want to drive with that loser.**

**Katara: You're such a kid.**

Sighing, Katara slid into her car and made her way to Jet's house. _Why does Jet have to like me? He should like some girl that can match his freaky attitude. _Katara grinned. _If I was crazy, then I'd be running around fighting people all the time. The only time I fight people out of anger and frustration is Thursdays. That isn't crazy of me to do. _Katara laughed. _Maybe I am right for this guy. _

Jet grinned as he hopped into Katara's car. "I was so terrified that you weren't going to make it." He said overdramatically, waving his hands and pretending to sob. "See? It's 6:05. You were really worrying me!"

Katara rolled her eyes and laughed. _This is the comedic genius I'll be hanging out with tonight. _"I really hope you like 103.4, or you'll just have to suck it up." She said, turning the radio to her favorite station. A mix of rock and billboard 100 songs flowed through the car.

Jet grinned. "This is my favorite station of all time. I knew that you did have a soul after all." He said nonchalantly, ruffling her hair into disarray. "Katara's hair is so messy-y-y-y now, it's just one big pi-i-i-i-le of stuff!" He howled, singing in tune with the song.

Katara growled and swatted at his hand. "I will not hesitate to kill you slowly and painfully. So for your own sake, I would suggest you _remove your filthy hand from my hair._" She said threateningly. _I don't give one shit about how my hair looks, but why not play along?_ Looking around at the neighborhood, her brow furrowed. _Come on Katara, it's time to hang out and run around with my brother, his girlfriend, my best friends (who are together), and my friend and his totally bitchy girlfriend. _"Come on kid, lets party."

Toph's house had always been freakishly big, but it just felt huge tonight. The lights gave the Bei Fong estate an austere glow, and the pumping bass and strobe lights just felt wrong. And since Toph's parents were out of the town for the week and Toph had paid her nanny to get lost, Katara knew that this would last forever. Seeing Zuko, she grinned and threw her arms around him dramatically. "Zuko, I've missed you SO!" She said, nestling into his chest. _It's so fun to bug him. I mean really, it's too easy!_

Zuko squirmed uncomfortably. "No, no… let's not do that." He said, pushing her away from him, ignoring the glare from Jet. "So how is my short friend?" He asked the still dramatic teen.

And from the shadows, like someone from the matrix, appeared a dark, gloomy, angrier-than-usual Mai. Arms crossed and scowling, she physically removed Katara from Zuko. "Why do you even care, Zuko? We've talked about _this_." She said, gritting her teeth and looking at Katara. _You can't leave him alone for five minutes before someone's all over him can you, Mai? _The girl glanced up and down and the tiny girl. She was wearing jeans one way too many times and a plain tee shirt that fit her curves _way _too well for the jealous Goth. Her hair was put into the same boring braid as always, and she couldn't even tell if the girl was wearing makeup or not. _Well that's a difference between us. _Mai thought, thinking of the amount of black eyeliner she'd been through in the past month.

Katara squirmed a little under the taller girl's glare. _She might have 5 or 6 inches on me, but I'm sturdier than her. I bet I could take her._ A violent little voice said inside Katara's mind. Scanning the girl, Katara noticed a gleaming metal concealed under her jacket. Katara's eyes widened a little when she realized it was a knife_. Well, I bet I could take her without her use of weapons. _"Come on Mai, I can't even _pretend _to hit on Zuko?" She pouted.

Mai's lip curled in contempt. "No, you can't. So I'd suggest you get your little butt out of here so Zuko and I can have a nice little chat." Walking stiffly towards Katara in her tiny leather dress, she pointed towards the door and watched the girl leave. _It's about time the prissy listened to me for once._

Katara closed the door behind her and smiled to see all of her friends talking in the next room. Seeing a couple of empty beer bottles thrown around the table where Toph, Aang, Sokka, Suki, and Jet were sitting, she shook her head. "What on Earth are you losers doing?" She said to Sokka, who seemed annoyed that he was taken out from whatever he was doing.

Sokka grinned. "We're playing you're favorite game, sis! It's truth or dare!" He said, moving his hands around the table like a sleazy car salesman.

Katara laughed. "So _that's _why Aang is wearing Toph's bra, and you refuse to look at Jet." She said, taking a drink and a seat. "Alright, kids- it's time to see a real master play the game." She said, propping her thin arms on the table.

Zuko groaned. _Why do I like Mai again? _ After listening to her rant for minutes after minutes, he had almost had enough. "Mai, how many times do I have to tell you that we're just friends? I mean, seriously. What does she have that you don't? If I liked her, I'd just seduce her." He said, trying to make Mai smile just a little.

But that didn't work. Mai got red and upset. "_Seduce _her?! Excuse me Zuko, but I have a reason to be jealous! You guys have chemistry and you're with her all the time! You're always following that little tramp around like your life depends on it! And I'm sick of it, and I'm sick of you! We're over!" She screamed, slamming the door as she left the room. Turning her car's radio up as she drove away, she logged into face book on her iPhone. _Status: single._

The very goofy looking and slightly drunk of people sitting at Toph's table grinned as Zuko walked up to them. "Zuko, where ya been? We've been missing you! Where's that angry chick?" Toph asked, for some mysterious reason covered in maple syrup.

Zuko sighed. "She broke up with me. But you know what? She's a nutcase. We aren't going to get back together." He said, sitting down in a chair and stealing Sokka's beer.

A whole chorus of 'We are Never Ever Getting Back Together' erupted from the giggly group. "Whatever you say Sparky, because we honestly do not care. What I _do _care about, though, is that no one can beat Katara at this game or make her chicken out. So I expect you to liven up our night." Toph said. "But whatever, it's my turn! Katara, I dare you to think of another thing to do because you're better than everyone else at this table." Toph said, picking at her nails. She perked up, remembering a past conversation between her and Katara. _"So you're saying you need a good hookup to calm down? I've done worse things." She said, cracking a grin. "And hooking up does wonders for the soul." _Toph smirked. "Never mind Sugar Queen, I got this all figured out- 7 Minutes in Heaven, anyone?"

"We've been playing this game forever." Suki said, trying to explain the tradition to Jet. "Someone draws a name from the bucket and they have to go into a closet for seven minutes. We play until we get bored, and something interesting usually happens, if you know what I mean. You can't have a relationship because of it or anything- it's just to hook up. But there's absolutely no telling of what you did in the closet." She said, winking at Sokka. "But here's the deal that we do differently- I don't really know why. But if you draw the name and don't like it (or like it a lot), you can draw from the time bucket. You might get 30 seconds, you might get 15 minutes. Whatever you get, there's no going back." She said, sipping from her can. "So, who wants to go first?"

Katara grinned. _I could get into a lot of trouble with this._ "Alright sweethearts, let's see who gets to sneak away with me into a dark little place I like to call… the closet." She said seductively. Moving her hand dramatically over the bucket full of names, she fished into it and picked out a name: _Jet. _Showing it to the group, she decided to pick out a time and got 3 minutes. Giggling, she and Jet walked to the closet in the other room.

Zuko was fuming by the time they left. _Who the hell does he think he is? _"Jet's such a prick." He said, annoyed. _He's probably taking advantage of her right now. She's so stupid, to bring him here. I mean, seriously?_

Aang grinned. "Aw, don't be jealous Zuko! I'm sure you get to spend a nice, long time with Katara in that 'dark little place I like to call… the closet.'" He said, pitching his voice higher and twirling his invisible braid and batting his eyelashes.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Like I'd want to be in a 'dark little place' with Katara, she's like my little sister. Besides, what on Earth would you do in a closet for seven minutes?"

Closing the closet door, Katara smiled. "So, this is-"She said before Jet's lips cut her off. Sparks ran through her, and she wrapped her arms around him to steady herself. She kissed back, confused and breathless. _I didn't even know I liked him. What is this? There's this… connection between us. _Kissing him back, she felt his hands moving up and down her back. _He has such warm hands. They're really big compared to mine. I could probably fit two of my hands into his. _She ran her hands through his hair, and felt the closet wall on her back. _Ladies are pushed against walls. _She thought, thinking about her favorite author and one of his plays, Romeo and Juliet. _Not that I mind. _As his lips moved down her neck, she sighed. _His lips are warm, too. They're so soft. _She thought, as his lips moved back up to her face and she resumed kissing him.

Zuko was getting annoyed. It had only been two minutes, and he had a bad feeling about this. _Why should you care, again? You don't like her and I have a very good idea that she doesn't like you. _He thought, remembering the look on her face when she went into the closet. She was so excited and smiley and he was practically running to get in there. _I don't even want to know what they were doing. Correction, are doing. _He glanced at his watch. 30 seconds to go.

Katara still felt these butterflies. _Maybe there is chemistry between us. Maybe I should give the idiot a chance. _She felt his hands get a little lower, and she got worried. _Whoa there, bud. _As his hand rested on her butt, she started to squirm a little. Taking it as a good sign, he started to grab her butt. Worried, she pushed his hand away from her and he got the message. _Well, he's not a rapist. Jet's just really, really good at hooking up. _Her grip loosened from his head and went back down to his neck, as he pushed her waist closer to him. She was really getting into it when Toph knocked on the closet door.

Toph felt them spring apart from each other through the hardwood floors. You probably couldn't hear it, but that didn't really bother Toph- her hearing was pretty awful, due to her birth defect. Everyone sounded like they were whispering. But since she was barefoot, she could feel it. _Toph: 1. Jet and Katara: probably one since they were just hooking up, but 0. _Toph laughed. "You have two minutes to stop panting. Come on out."

When they walked back in, Sokka chuckled. "Whatever you two did, literally _none_ of us want to know. But for your hope, let's just say y'all had a nice little chat." He said, poking Jet in the chest. "Let's move into the movie room, there's a closet in there too. And then we won't have to just stand here all awkward while people make out. Alright: I pick the Thing as our first movie. So let's go losers.

It was halfway through the second movie, and pretty much everyone had been through the dark little closet. Zuko drew Suki, and they sat on opposite sides of the large closet and had a pleasant conversation. Sokka and Aang had an embarrassing 10 minutes that made everyone tease them for the entirety of the first movie. Toph chose Aang, and they got 15 minutes- except when Sokka knocked on the door, they yelled at him to go away and stayed in there for a good 45 before they came out. Aang drew Katara and they spent the entire time laughing about how Aang tried to make a move last time they got stuck in the closet. Jet drew Zuko, and because they refused to do it they had to sit outside in the cold for a whole hour. Suki drew Jet, and halfway into their seven minutes Katara was wondering what they were up to. As the bloody hand drew up from behind the door to attack the terrified teen, the music built up. And as the closet door flew open with Suki at it, it seemed to be completely synchronized with the horror movie. Katara must have jumped twenty feet in the air. As Suki sat down quietly beside Sokka, Jet made eye contact with her and motioned for her to come into the room where they had played truth or dare.

When she walked past Suki, she looked at her. Suki has this look in her eyes, but Katara couldn't out her name on it. It was weird, but Katara shook it off and made her way back over to Jet. When she walked into the room, his back was turned to her. When he spun around, he was holding two open beers. Smiling, she took a glass.

Jet took a sip of his, watching Katara as did the same. "So about the closet…" Jet said suggestively, watching Katara blush. "It was pretty interesting, don't you think?" He said. _Interesting? Try sexy as hell. Her little body is so curvy and perfect. I can't wait to do it again._ "Let's hook up again. I think we should." He said.

Katara was all for the idea, but she didn't really feel comfortable with the look in his eye. "I mean, I really like you. But all of our friends are right over there, and they'll know we're gone." She said, aware that her words were getting sluggish. _Maybe I should stop drinking; I think I've had a little too much. _But this drink tasted so good, so she took another sip.

Jet shrugged. He noticed that her words were slurring, and he went over and picked her up. "It's okay; I'm about to text them and tell them that I took you home because you weren't feeling good." He said, walking out of the room into a part of the house farther from the rest of the group.

Katara was worried, but the blurriness was clouding her thoughts. She realized, however, that Jet must have put something in her drink, but she didn't care. His arms got so warm, and she was so happy. But right before everything got fuzzy; she realized what the look on Suki's face was: fear.

As Katara's world became less fuzzy and everything came back, she wondered who was kissing her neck. Then she realized that there were clothes all over this room, which was weird because usually Toph's house was clean. Then a lot of things came to her at once, and she shrieked and pushed a pretty much naked Jet away from her nearly naked self. She looked down, and all she was wearing was underwear, and Jet was wearing boxers- but they were unbuttoned and Katara saw something she didn't want to see. She covered her chest and stared at Jet. He ran out the door, cussing under his breath, putting on his clothes under the way. Within seconds, she was all alone. She looked at the clock. How long was she out and Jet wasn't? What had just happened? Suddenly, she was cold. She was cold and she was alone.

Curling up into a little ball, Katara cried.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Hehe… yeah, I had not updated in a while but FINALLY got around to it, due to the fact that I'm sick and I'm bored out of my mind. I'm just writing a couple chapters and will publish them eventually.**

**TearsOnTheRiver: Hey, I am back! And don't worry, there's more.**

**SeddieBat: Jet is a jerk. But I am updating, so yay!**

**Patty cake rocks: I know, bro. I know.**

**Lani Carmine: Thanks for the super long review! But if I were as cool as Katara, I'd update more. Don't worry, I'm putting more fighting up soon. Though it is around that, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't going to be straight up drama and romantic things and all. But seriously, thanks for the review. It was really helpful!**

**So that last chapter was weird. I've always planned that Jet would be a sleazebag, but I kinda figured out why as I was writing it. I was gonna just… well, whatever. Just read the dang thing (Thanks for that, by the way. You guys rock!).**

**RANDOM BIT! I had the craziest idea for something- alright, so if Katara and Aang got married… (I know, I know) Sokka would be the best man, Toph would be the maid of honor. So I guess that Zuko would be a bridesmaid?! Can y'all imagine him in a cute little pink dress with a tiny bouquet? 3**

**So yeah… have I told y'all I don't own Avatar? Well I don't.**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

A couple minutes after Jet left, Katara swallowed hard and put on all of her clothes. She tried her best to look presentable, and scrambled into her car and started to drive. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _She thought, still confused as to what just happened. _Jet… drugged me? Why would he do that to me? _Ignoring her pounding headache, she checked her phone.

**You have 4 new messages!**

**Aang: You okay? How'd you get sick?**

**Sokka: Maybe I shouldn't have dared you to chug hot sauce…**

**Suki: Katara, are you alright?**

**Suki: Katara, I don't trust him.**

Seeing the highway was deserted, she decided to rev it. _What cops going to be out at 2 in the morning? _ She just wanted to get away from here. _Just get to the gym. Just get to the gym. _Taking the exit towards it, she slowed down and tried to find her gym bag. When she looked back up, she saw a certain beat up Focus and smiled a little. _Hello, sparring partner. _

Suki was really worried. She knew that the last time she saw Katara, she went somewhere with Jet. And there was no way on Earth that Suki trusted Jet at all. When they were in the closet, Suki didn't really mind at first because she knew that Jet was friends with Sokka; and he wouldn't do anything. But Jet just got closer and closer to her, until he finally tried to kiss her. That's when Suki bolted out of the closet, and got worried when Katara left with Jet. And when she didn't answer any texts, Suki had a feeling that she knew where it was going. And she didn't want Katara being taken advantage of by some guy.

The sparring room in the gym was unearthly quiet when Katara and Kyochi stepped in. Grinning, she tightened the tape on her hands and looked at Kyochi. "Ready to get your ass whipped short stuff?" She said, fixing her hair into a tight ponytail.

Kyochi rolled his eyes. "Katara, you don't even come up to my chin. Why do you call me short stuff?" He asked with a grin. "You know what? I don't really want to know. But what I do want to know is what happened to you." He said, putting his hands protectively on her shoulders.

Katara scowled. "Tell you what. If you can beat me, I'll tell you." She said, readying herself into a fighting stance.

Kyochi smiled. "You're on, Mizu."

Zuko was frustrated. He just kept looking at that text from Jet on his phone. _Katara got sick. I'm taking her home. _Zuko didn't know why, but he hated the idea of them two alone together. _It's just because I'm friends with her, _he thought. _I mean, she's like my little sister. _But even with his own reason for worry, he just didn't like it. _For all you know Zuko, Jets a nice person._ He tried to reason, but he was just too annoyed. Looking at his friends and realizing that he should get going, he grabbed his keys and drove home. But Zuko decided that he would stop by Katara's house on the way home. And she wasn't there.

Zuko started to freak out. Parking in her driveway, he turned on the radio and sat and waited. Picking up his phone, he sent an endless stream of calls and texts to Katara's phone. _Where on Earth is she? _

Katara grinned as she shot a hand out to her friend. "Need help, loser?" She asked. _This guy's losing his touch. What a shame._

Kyochi stood up, suddenly serious. "Okay Katara, what happened?" He asked her abruptly. _She's always been great, but something's up. She's never this good._

And just like that, all of her strength was gone. Katara's shoulders slumped and her head dropped. "There was this guy, Kyochi. And I thought he was really nice and he was, at first. But then we went to talk and there was something in my drink and when I woke back up… I was practically _naked_. And so was he." Katara explained shamefully, crossing her arms and looking at the floor.

Kyochi just nodded. _How does one little girl get into so much trouble? _Kyochi wondered. "Katara… you know that I'll kill him, right?" He said, more serious than usual.

Katara laughed nervously. "I know you will, Kyochi. That's why I wanted to leave you out of it. Please, Kyochi. I can handle myself." She said, pleading with the dangerously angry boy. "Believe me, Kyochi. This guy will be down before he knows what hit him."

Kyochi rolled his eyes. "I'd say you're all talk, but you just kicked my butt." He said, checking his watch. "Go get some sleep, you idiot."

**(A/N: You didn't think I'd actually write it out for you yet, did you? Oh no, silly readers, you'll have to wait. I'm excited!)**

Zuko watched as Katara's car rolled up into the driveway. Stepping out of his car to meet the girl, he scowled. "Where have you been, Katara?" He asked accusingly, looking at her. At first, Katara winced at Zuko's harsh tone. But then, the teenager got angry and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why on Earth are you in my _driveway, _Zuko?" She said, annoyed. _Doesn't he have better things to do at three in the morning? _But then, she looked at her phone and realized she had eleven new messages and seven new voicemails. "What's your deal, stalker?!" She asked impatiently.

Zuko groaned. _Awesome, I have another girl yelling at me. That's just what I need. _"I'll say it one last time Katara. Tell me where you were or else." He said, trying to be as threatening as possible.

Katara's face reddened. "Why would I tell you? It's none of your business! You need to leave." She said, pointing to his car. _Why should he care? He's already made it perfectly clear that he has no interest in an ugly little girl like me. _

Now it was Zuko's turn to get angry. "Katara, I have every right to ask you where you were. I'm friends with you and Sokka, and I'm worried. God knows that you can't go off waltzing to who knows where at three in the morning!" He said, raising his hands in frustration. "And you're not going anywhere until you tell me what you've been doing tonight." He said, blocking Katara's path to her house.

Katara's brow furrowed. "I can if I want to! Zuko, it's none of your business." She said, shoving him out of her way. _Please. Like I know what I did tonight. _"I don't need you and I don't need your help! I can take care of myself!" She yelled, slamming her front door behind her.

Zuko sighed and sat down on the ground. _Well, that went surprisingly well._

Katara cringed in the morning when her alarm went off. _Today is going to be the most awkward day of my life. _She thought, picking up her workout clothes. _But every day is pretty awkward anyways. _Lacing her running shoes, she grabbed her keys and drove to the gym. And for the first time, even after endless laps, reps, and buckets of sweat, Katara didn't feel any better.

Sitting down in her seat beside Jet in History, her least favorite class of all time, Katara cut have cut the tension between them in two. Deciding it was better to be angry than upset, Katara frowned. "What was _that_, Jet?" She whispered as Mr. Zhao walked by them. _Oh God, why did this even happen._

Jet smirked. "What? I thought it was fun. We should do it again." He murmured, trailing his hand a little too far up Katara's thigh.

Katara smacked him. "You better… uh… take that back… or…" she tried, trailing off. Because in reality, she _didn't _know what she wanted from him and she _didn't _know what she could do to him. She was trying to threaten him, but there was absolutely nothing she could do to him except beat the crap out of him, which she couldn't do without causing a whole lot of trouble for herself.

Jet laughed. "Come on, Katara. I thought you were better than that. You see, you can't really threaten me, because I have something you don't." He said sinisterly, dropping his voice and leaning towards her ear. "See, I have _pictures._"

Katara's eyes widened. _He couldn't. But what if he did? _Katara and Jet both knew that Katara would do anything to keep those from getting out. "You lying bastard." She said, narrowing her eyes in disgust.

Jet shook his head. "And all you have to do to keep them from being sent to every single person on my phone or being posted on face book is keep your pretty little mouth shut and act like that our little love-fest never happened." He said, tapping her on the nose.

Katara put her head between her knees. _Well, that went a whole lot worse than expected._

Skipping second period, Katara sat in her car and turned her iPod up as loud as possible.

_For those days we felt like a mistake,  
those times when loves what you hate,  
Somehow,  
We keep marching on._

For those nights when I couldn't be there,  
I've made it harder to know that you know,  
That somehow,  
We'll keep moving on.

There's so many wars we fought,  
There's so many things were not,  
But with what we have,  
I promise you that,  
We're marching on,  
(We're marching on)  
(We're marching on).

For all of the plans we've made,  
There isn't a flag I'd wave,  
Don't care if we bend,  
I'd sink us to swim,  
We're marching on,  
(We're marching on)  
(We're marching on).

For those doubts that swirl all around us,  
For those lives that tear at the seams,  
We know,  
We're not what we've seen,

For this dance we'll move with each other.  
There ain't no other step than one foot,  
Right in front of the other.

There's so many wars we fought,  
There's so many things we're not,  
But with what we have,  
I promise you that,  
We're marching on,  
(We're marching on)  
(We're marching on).

For all of the plans we've made,  
There isn't a flag I'd wave,  
Don't care if we bend,  
I'd sink us to swim,  
We're marching on,  
(We're marching on)  
(We're marching on).

Right, right, right, right left right,  
Right, right, right, right left right,  
Right, right,  
we're marching on.

We'll have the days we break,  
And we'll have the scars to prove it,  
We'll have the bonds that we save,  
But we'll have the heart not to lose it.

For all of the times we've stopped,  
for all of the things I'm not.

We put one foot in front of the other,  
We move like we ain't got no other,  
We go when we go,  
We're marching on.

There's so many wars we fought,  
There's so many things we're not,  
But with what we have,  
I promise you that,  
We're marching on,  
(We're marching on)  
(We're marching on).

Right, right, right, right left right,  
Right, right, right, left, right,  
Right, right,  
we're marching on.

Right, right, right, right left right,  
Right, right, right, left, right,  
Right, right,  
we're marching on.

Katara wasn't even sure it was possible to hurt this much. Blindly grabbing at her dog tags between dry sobs, she wondered what her mom would think of her now. _She'd think I'm a slut. She'd say I've betrayed myself and everything I stand for. _She thought hopelessly. _It's come down to me, fighting to keep myself sane and being kept quiet by some stupid pictures. I've been lead on by a guy that crushed me by texting his damn girlfriend. Congratulations, Katara. You're a mess. _As she tried to tidy herself up in her mirror, she realized what an idiot she really was. _I should just move somewhere where no one will know who I am. Or maybe I'll just move back to Hawaii._ Katara laughed. "Well, at least I have a new reason to hit harder."

Sitting down beside Zuko at the lunch table a couple hours later, Katara opened her mouth to apologize. But when she tried to talk, Zuko just gave her a look. A look that Katara knew she didn't deserve. _He forgives me. I didn't even have to say anything. How can he be so nice to me? _"Zuko, I'm so-" She tried to say before he cut her off with a bear hug.

Zuko let go and smiled. "It's alright, Katara. I shouldn't have done that to you. It wasn't my place."Zuko said graciously to Katara, who looked like she was about to break down. _Why am I so protective of her? It's just Katara. I shouldn't bother her like that._

Katara was about to cry at this point. "Thanks, Zuko. I'm sorry about last night. I was just really tired and was frustrated." She said, staring at her shoes and rubbing her arm. _How can I make this up to him? I mean, he's just being so kind to me._"How can I make this up to you?" She asked earnestly. Katara wasn't really one to let these things go.

Zuko shook his head. "Katara, you don't have to do that." He said, picking up his hamburger. "But you know if you _really _wanted to make it up to me, you could just, I don't know, bring me a freakishly large amount of your famous cakes. And cookies, and pies, and pastries." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

Katara laughed. "Of all of the things I would have done, you decided that you needed _desserts_?" She asked incredulously.

As Zuko watched his other friends finally make their way to the table but noticing Jet wasn't one of them, he grinned. "Yeah, but they're just desserts." He said, watching Katara shake her head.

As Zuko tried to focus in Chemistry, Jet walked up beside him. Trying his best to ignore the douche, he made it look like he was very busy. _Maybe if I'm lucky, then the jerk will leave me alone._

Jet smirked. "You know, she's never going to like you." He said, nonchalantly checking his phone.

That threw Zuko off. "Excuse me?" He asked, still trying to pay attention to his lab.

Jet shrugged. "She'll never like you. You're just some moody kid that she just met. You have nothing. And she will never like someone as undeserving as you." He said, trying to make Zuko angry.

Zuko's frown deepened. "I don't like her, anyways. Why does it matter?" He said, since he knew that any more trouble in class would not be good for him. He could remember what the principal said. _You've been in three fights this year, Zuko. One more and I can't guarantee what will happen to you._ He never bothered to tell his friends, because he knew they'd all just worry.

Jet rolled his eyes. "Who wouldn't like her? Her hair, her eyes, her skin, that little dynamite body- believe me, she has some _amazing _curves." He said, smirking.

Zuko's patience diminished. "If you ever talk about her like that again, I will hurt you. So I'd shut the hell up." He threatened. For some reason, he did not like the way he was talking about Katara at all.

Jet laughed. "What? I'm just saying… I'd _definitely _tap that. She has the best-" he started before a certain fist ended his talking.

Zuko didn't really care about the fact he was suspended from school for two days. But what he did care about, though, was what his Uncle was going to say to him. "It wasn't my fault, Uncle. He was saying some things and I got really angry and-"

Uncle Iroh shook his head. "It is not wise to harbor your anger, Zuko. Tell me this- when you hit the young man, what were you angry about?" He asked patiently, driving the reprimanded teen home.

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "I was angry about what he said about my friend." He said, slightly annoyed. _I love my uncle, but does he always have to say things that make no sense?_

Iroh shook his head. "No, Zuko. That might have been what caused you to throw the first punch, but there's something else. You have gotten in many fights lately, so why are you angry?" He asked again. "Until you realize what the true source of your anger is, you will suffer deep within yourself." He said, taking a sip of his tea.

Zuko smacked his palm onto his forehead. _Will I ever understand him? _"Uncle, please don't start this. I'm tired and I don't understand a word you're saying." He pleads.

Iroh laughed and shook his head. "Fine, this old man will silence his words. But on a happier note, I'm glad I'll have extra help around the shop for the next two days!" He said cheerily, breaking out into one of his grins.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that will be a lot of fun." He said sarcastically.

**So what do you think? Is it okay? It was really tough to write because I had no idea what I was going to do- after the last chapter; I'm sort of winging it a little. But I really hope y'all like it!**

**R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**I've done three chapters in the past three days. BAM! Except I'm not putting them all out yet- I'm saving them like a little hoarder.**

**So I looked back at my past chapters and I realized that I totally veered of the style and tone I was using and so loved at the beginning. So I'm going to try and get that happy style back. Tell me how you feel about it!**

**I don't own Avatar, sadly.**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Baking another rack of cookies in the bakery oven, Katara noticed the man coming through the bakery door. Smiling as she recognized the bearded man, she waved brightly. "Hey Uncle Iroh, it's so nice to see you!" She said, starting the standing mixer for her cake batter. "What brings you over here? Need anything?" She asked, making her way to the counter.

Iroh smiled at the lively girl. "Well I was driving by, and was just hoping to have a chat." He said, taking a sip from his tea. Scanning the empty store, he laughed. "Having trouble with business?" He said politely.

Katara blushed. "We're just having a slow day. But on the bright side, I have time to talk." She said, stopping the mixer and pouring the batter into a cake pan. "Want any food? It's on the house." She said, grabbing a stool from behind the counter.

Iroh rolled his eyes. "We both know that you'd end up being the one paying for whatever I eat, Miss Katara. What I'd like to talk about is my nephew, Zuko." He said, watching the girl's demeanor become more serious. _I'd love to know why she's so interested._

Katara trained her eyes on Iroh. "Is he alright? He's seemed sort of off lately." She said, realizing that she was still baking cookies. _Actually, he's been very weird lately. His emotions are all over the place. _She thought, grabbing the pan of sugar cookies off the rack. "And speaking of him, what kind of cookies does Zuko like?"

Iroh inhaled deeply as the cookies came out of the bakery oven. "He loves sugar cookies, but his absolutely favorite is chocolate chip." He said, putting a dollar bill on the counter and grabbing a cookie. "But he's been so angry lately. He's gotten in several fights, and he got suspended today. I was just wondering if you'd know why."

Katara frowned a little as she thought, shoving the dollar bill back at Iroh. "Well, there have been a couple things. He and Mai broke up again last night, and he doesn't really get along with this guy, Jet." She said wincing when she had to mention his name. _Note to self: make chocolate chip cookies. _

Iroh's eyebrow rose. He noticed her dislike for the boy, but knew better than to say anything. "Thank you so much for the tip, Katara. In fact, Zuko got into a fight with Jet today." He said nonchalantly, watching Katara's hand falter slightly as she frosted a decadent red velvet cake.

"Oh, that's very interesting. What were they fighting over?" She said, acting as if she didn't know. _Why does Zuko always have to stick his nose where it doesn't belong? He doesn't have to go around playing superhero for me._ Angry, she almost ruined the cake she was working on.

Iroh noticed her attitude and slid the cake away from her. "He didn't tell me, but I think I can figure out why." He said, waiting for Katara to look at him. When she didn't, he continued carefully. "You see, Zuko is angry often, a curse bestowed on him by his power hungry culture. But his anger is most often out of passion, unlike his cruel ancestors. I was just going to see who he was so angry about. But maybe they don't really know either." He said, trying to keep the teenager from getting angry. "Thank you for the cookie, Miss Katara." He said, sliding the dollar back to her.

Katara groaned. "Wait, Uncle Iroh." She said, finally meeting his eyes. "I'll be over later to give something to Zuko, okay?" She said, knowing full well that wasn't what she wanted to say. She wanted to say that he was wrong, that Zuko didn't feel anything towards her. _But maybe that's not true. Maybe there's an explanation to all this._ At this point, Katara was just as confused as everyone else.

Iroh smiled. "Perfect! And don't forget the chocolate chip cookies!" He said, pointing helpfully.

Standing at Zuko's house with a giant gift basket, Katara grit her teeth. Ringing the dragon doorbell, she waited quite impatiently for someone to open the door. When Azula did, she smiled. "Hey Azula, is Zuko here?" She asked pleasantly.

Azula rolled her eyes and hugged her. "That basket is as big as you- what on Earth did you do?" She asked, snatching a cookie from the basket. "He's in his room, being all forever alone up there. Make him actually talk to you, will you?" She said, chewing on the cookie.

Katara grinned. "I'll do my best, Azula. Wish me luck." She said, scaling the stairs up to the second floor. Walking into Zuko's room, she laughed. "Zuko, do you _ever _clean up your room?" She asked, setting the gift basket down on his desk.

Zuko's eyes bulged. "You actually _baked _me all of this? When I asked for food, I didn't expect enough to feed me for a couple years!" The boy joked, happier than he used to be. _Seriously, this girl needs to lighten up a little. Not that I don't enjoy eating good food._ Sitting down on his bed, he stared at Katara. "So… what's up?"

Katara looked at her feet. "So tell me, Zuko. How on Earth did you get suspended?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. _Like I don't already know why he was kicked out. If he tries to lie to me, I'll have his head. _

Zuko blushed a little at her talk of his suspension. "Jet and I got into a fight in fifth period. He was saying some things that really pissed me off, and I just got angry and we fought a little. He mumbled, not really looking at Katara. _Like I'd tell her that I got in a fight because of what Jet said about her. 'Oh yeah Katara, we got into a fight because he called you hot and I didn't like that._

Katara knew exactly what he was leaving out of his confession, but she ignored it. _Whatever he chooses to tell me is all I'll pretend to know, I guess. _"Zuko, you really need to find an outlet for all of your anger. It's not healthy at all for you to just go around beating people up. You get suspended for those sorts of things, if you haven't noticed yet." As she noticed that he wasn't really paying attention, she figured that Iroh had already said a similar speech. "When you get mad, Zuko, you can't just hit whoever made you mad. All of that pent up rage and frustration has no outlet, so you just let it out on people that anger you." She said quietly, knowing exactly what he was thinking. _Wow Katara, you're a real damn therapist._ Taking a ball out from her jacket, she suddenly threw it at Zuko's face.

Zuko caught the ball, surprised. "What was that, Katara?" He huffed, looking at the little racquetball ball in his hand. _One day, this girl will make sense to me. _Throwing the ball back to Katara, he noticed she had a faint little smile on her face. "And what's with the smile?"

Katara's smile only grew wider. "I was just testing your reflexes. Because I'm very curious as to how I can help you with your little problem." She said, watching Zuko's face shift. "How much can you lift, Zuko? How far can you run without breaking a sweat? How many times can you get back up?" Her voice said bravely, wondering what she could do. _I'd never let him in the ring, but maybe I could get him to wrestle with Toph or something. _As her ideas grew and morphed, she let out a cheeky grin.

Zuko scanned the very weird acting girl's motions. "Um… I'm not really sure. I can lift about two hundred, two fifty I guess. And I can run three or four miles, but I'm not very good at running." He said nervously. _Why is she asking me these silly questions?_

Katara sighed in relief. _Even if he wanted to, he's nowhere good enough for the ring._ She thought soundly. Without a doubt, Katara could bench twice her weight and could run ten to fifteen miles easily. "I want you to talk to Toph about wrestling. I really do think it's a good idea." She suggested helpfully, excited. Grabbing a cookie, she left Zuko's room. "See you in two days, loser."

Toph's colorless eyes stared at Zuko. "She wants you to do what now, Sparky?" The little wrestler asked. After Zuko's two day suspension, Zuko came up to Toph and explained Katara's little request. "Sparky, I'm not sure you _could _be a wrestler. Do you even lift?" She said, gobbling down a chicken wing.

Zuko's eyebrow twitched in indignation. _Why are they both asking me that? It's not like I'm weak or anything. _"Look, Katara just wanted to know if you'd help me. She's right, for once- I'm getting in a lot of fights. Maybe if I did this, I could stay out of trouble. And staying out of trouble is the least I could do for Uncle Iroh." He said, slightly embarrassed. When he glanced back up, there was _another damn ball _flying at his face. Catching it, he growled. "Does everyone just carry these to throw at people?!" He griped.

Toph laughed. "Katara threw one at you, too? Well, good for Sugar Queen. Never knew the little thing had it in her. Anyways, you aren't really right for wrestling. Wrestlers, like me, aren't necessarily tall or too thin. We're sturdy and tough, like rocks. You aren't necessarily sturdy. Sure, you're tough and can take a hit, but you are too lanky for any good grappling. What I'd try, if I were you, is kickboxing." She suggested, not really sure if she agreed with what she said.

Zuko's interest peaked. "That's still around? I've always liked kickboxing, but I thought that my father, uh I mean snipers had killed most of them off. You know, when they took over the government. Not that I would know anything about it. Why would I know anything about that?" He stammered uncontrollably, trying to cover up his statement.

Toph laughed and rolled her eyes. "You are pathetic, Zuko. Just because I can't hear or see everything like you can, doesn't mean I don't understand." She said, looking at Zuko to see if she needed to say more. Noting his blank expression, she sighed. "I know who your dad is, and that he's leading our country somewhere right now. I'm aware that you don't live with him, and that you and Azula live with your Uncle. And for your ignorant little brain, here's a fact outside of the textbooks." Toph drawled, leaning in closer to Zuko's ear. "It's called underground fighting, and while it's really small and most of the truly gifted fighters are long dead, it's still there. I don't know how to get you in, but I guarantee you it's there."

Zuko's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "I should have figured that it was still out there, somewhere." He muttered to no one in particular. _I should really ask Azula about this. There's no doubt she'd know exactly where it is- I swear the girl knows everything. _Setting his jaw, he grinned. "You know what Toph? That's one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time. And I think I'll actually take you up on the offer." The scarred boy said, lightly hugging the short girl.

Grabbing a ride home from Katara after school, Zuko was in an extremely good mood. "What's up, Zuko? You seem happier than usual- but that's not really a stretch." Katara said jokingly as they took the long way home.

Zuko grinned. "Well, I talked to Toph and she gave me some really good advice." He said cheerily, watching the countryside whip by as they drove. "Apparently, I'd be super awful at wrestling. So she gave me another idea for what I could do. Tell me, Katara- have you ever heard of kickboxing?"

It was a good thing a deer hopped in front of Katara's car right after Zuko said that, because deer or not Katara's car would have screeched to a halt. Out of breath, she opened her car door and looked at the dead animal in front of the convertible. Trying to regain her sanity, she moved the deer gently to the side of the road. _Sorry buddy, but it's the circle of life. _Getting back into the car, she started it slowly and looked at Zuko. "What do you know about kickboxing?" She asked inquisitively, trying to keep her cool.

Zuko, still ecstatic, shrugged carelessly. "Honestly, I'm not that clear on what it really is. But its cool sounding and I think it'd be great. I'd really get all of my anger out, wouldn't I?" He asked, unaware of the raw fury Katara was trying so desperately to hold back from the unsuspecting boy.

Gripping the steering wheel ferociously, she took a moment to stare at the oblivious boy sitting beside her. "So let me get this straight, Zuko. You want to take up a style- no, an _art_- that you know absolutely nothing about so that you can get your anger out?" She asked, absolutely bewildered by the boy. "Zuko, you will get your ass kicked. You wouldn't last two minutes in the ring, especially not against a pro. A pro wouldn't hesitate to break any of your bones." She said angrily, thinking of all of her current and past breaks and bruises. _Who does this uneducated, uncultured, shallow, blind ass think he is? _Her mind raged throughout the vacant countryside.

Zuko huffed. When Toph and Zuko had thought up the plan, it made Zuko feel like a genius. But when he told it to Katara, she made him feel and seem like some ignorant jerk. "I don't need your opinion to do this, Katara. I just thought I'd let you know so that maybe you'd agree with anyone for once." He said angrily. _Why does everything get so damn complicated whenever she's around?_

Katara actually laughed out loud. "You don't need my opinion? How would you know, Zuko?" She asked angrily. Because Katara knew there was no way he could get into that ring if she didn't want him there. _Why does he always assume these things about me? He doesn't even know me. _

Zuko's face reddened. _There she goes again, making me feel like a blockhead. _"Katara, I know for a fact you have no say in whether or not I can kickbox." He said authoritatively, not sure at all whether his statement was correct.

Katara was at her boiling point. Reaching his house, she stopped the car. "Get out of my damn car, Zuko." She said, dangerously silent. _"Katara, I know for a fact you have no say in whether or not I can kickbox."_ Just thinking about it made Katara see red. Watching Zuko grumble as he grabbed his things and went to her side of the car to talk to her, Katara balled her tiny hands into fists. Looking up at Zuko, her voice became surprisingly authoritative. "You know nothing about me, Zuko. You don't know who I am or what I can or can't do. So if you ever try to tell me what I'm capable of doing, I'll show you _exactly _what I can do." She threatened, starting her car.

Zuko rolled his golden eyes. That girl was all talk.

Azula's eyes narrowed as she watched her slow witted brother burst clumsily into her room. Sighing, she inspected her perfectly manicured nails. "What is it, ZuZu? Need another silly favor?" Azula guessed correctly. When Zuko came to her, he either needed something done or information he wasn't socially inept enough to get.

Azula's tone did nothing to faze Zuko. "I want to kickbox." He stated boldly, waiting for a response from Azula. "I need you to help me get in." He added loudly.

Azula's eyes rolled condescendingly. "In between fencing practice, competitions, and perfecting my sniping, I have very little time. But very well, I suppose. However, I want you to actually watch a couple matches before you do something stupid." Azula said cleverly. _My brother is going to get his head kicked off._

Zuko nodded anxiously. "I don't care whatever it takes to get me in. When is the next fight?"

Azula thought for a millisecond before hatching a plan. "Let's see… it's Thursday, so there's one today. In case you were wondering, Zuko, the fights are always on Thursdays. So we'll watch tonight." She said, hoping that her idiot sibling wouldn't cause any scene at the ring. "Wear something nice and I'll tell you the etiquette on the way over. Got it?" She said, slightly impatient. _I'm actually quite excited. I haven't seen a fight in ages._

Zuko grinned. "This is gonna rock."

**You guys don't even understand how excited I am to write fight scenes. Yay for violence! But seriously, I'm getting really anxious to go ahead and write this fight scene. It's the first time Zuko's seen one of these and of Katara will be there. Let's have some fun, shall we? **

**ERMAHGERD REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Hey, hey, hey, hey. Here's a chapter for you! I've written two chapters today- it's a Christmas miracle!**

**I own an iPod, a cat, and a laptop- but not Avatar.**

**Guys I forgot to answer reviews last chapter! Silly me!**

**Patty cake rocks: Katara is a baking master. She's like the cake boss.**

**Lucky school girl: That's not exactly a bad idea, and I hadn't thought of that at all. Thanks for the tip, I'll look into it.**

**Tears On The River: I am seriously planning to marry Kyochi. *sigh* why can't my OC's be less adorable?**

**Lani Carmine: Your reviews are amazing. And I do plan for her to tell at least one person (just trying to be vague, don't mind me) in the near future. And that'll cause some drama, won't it? I am trying to tone Katara down a bit, but it's just so fun to write out little bits like that. I should really stop indulging myself. P.S. Aang is the cutest thing alive :)**

**Avatar Kyoshi: You want fighting?**

**A fan: I absolutely can't wait for next year. It'll be FABULOUS!**

**Seddie-bat: Here it is darlin'.**

**10pandaluvr: Here you go.**

**4minute: Are you psychic or something?**

**Ava-potter gal: I try my best to keep the updates going. Hope you like it!**

**Nereids: We wouldn't want that!**

**Sweetpotatopumpk: Aw, shucks. Thanks.**

**Y'all enjoy!**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Looking at her chic, upscale dress in her mirror, Azula smiled devilishly. _I always have had a talent for picking out dresses. Actually, I've always had talents for everything. _She grinned, styling her hair into a sleek updo, leaving two small strands on the sides of her face. Slipping on a pair of black pumps, she twirled in front of her mirror. Waltzing into Zuko's room, she frowned at his choice of outfit. "Zuko, you can do better." She said, disapprovingly. "You look like you're going to church, and we don't even _go _to church." She said, stripping off his blazer and tie. "Think more of a night club, and less of Sunday school." She added helpfully.

Zuko rolled his eyes, but did what his little sister said. _When is Azula ever wrong? _He asked himself as he put on a sports jacket and more comfortable shoes. "You look way too old, Azula." Zuko said, scanning her outfit. _Where on Earth did she find a dress that tight?! _Ruffling his hair, he checked his phone clock. "When do these things start, Azula?"

Katara checked her watch, noting it's time- 5:37. She had roughly two hours to get over there before the fights started. _Good. _Katara wasn't unbelievably girly, but there were some crazy things she'd have to do. Finding her makeup bag, she took out her traditional paints and went to work.

Dipping her thumbs in the pot, she covered her eyelids in the red stuff. Moving down to her cheeks, she did four twin stripes- two on each cheek bone. Painting it onto her lips, she did a smear straight down from her bottom lip to her chin. Sliding a tank top over her red sports bra, she traced patterns onto her shoulders. Slipping on black Nike fits while the paint dried; she pulled her hair into a tight ponytail at the top of her head. For the coup de grace, she took a pale yellow and dabbed a crescent moon onto her forehead. Completing her look with a baggy sweatshirt and tennis shoes, she headed out the door. _It's time to fuck shit up._

This didn't seem like a fighting ring to Zuko. With the pounding music and the dark lights, he could've sworn he was in a night club. After being practically molested by a couple of desperate girls (they could've been hookers for all he knew), he made his way to the bar. "Make me whatever you want, as long as it's strong." He said to the silent guy. Looking around, he noticed it was an overlook. Finding the balcony, he looked over to find the ring.

It was big. Not freakishly big, but it was big enough for two or more fighters to easily fight without worrying about running out of space. There was no official end to the ring, but the fighters probably had to stay where everyone could see them. It was made of cold, hard stone- not Zuko's first choice for something you'd fall on several times. Zuko wondered on whether or not people would worry about getting hit by things thrown by the crowd, but he doubted anyone here would do that.

Getting tapped on the shoulder, he saw a woman carrying his glass. Smelling it first, Zuko took a swig of the drink. It was strong- probably vodka mixed with something else. Looking around for Azula, he soon found her getting hit on by a guy she kept referring to as Chan. Annoyed; he pulled her away from the guy. "What do I do?" He asked, yelling over the music.

Azula rolled her eyes. "As long as you don't get in any fights or say something you can't back up, you're fine. You're not really respected here at all, since the fighting isn't in your blood and all." She said nonchalantly, drinking a white wine. "But if you stay cool, you might actually like it. We'll get good enough seats, since we have such a small group tonight." She said, gesturing to the people around her.

Zuko's jaw dropped. _This was small? _At least a hundred people were here, and every single one of them was an important figure. Oddly enough, Zuko noted there weren't any bodyguards here. "When does it start?" He screamed over the music.

As Azula grabbed his hand and made her way to the first row, she listened to the bells chime above their heads. Listening to the slightly off key tones, she smiled. "Right about now."

Rolling up into the back parking lot, Katara stepped out of her car and watched as the doors opened for her. Walking into club for a minute, she noticed all the new faces. _Maybe we'll have an interesting crowd. _She mused, patting other fighters on the back when she walked by.

"Want a drink, ma'am? I'd recommend the whiskey. We stole it from an ancient tae kwon do mural on the East side." The bartender sad proudly, putting the bottle on the table.

Katara walked over and snatched it from him. "You and I will be having a little talk after tonight, dick. You'll be lucky to have your job." She said, walking away with the priceless bottle. _Too many new people come to these. They don't know anything. _Shoving by hookers, she rolled her eyes. _I can't leave for five minutes without there being prostitutes around. _Slinking to the back room, she looked at all of her friends. They all welcomed her when she stepped in, and a couple of them whistled for old time's sake. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her athletic tape and gloves out of her bag as Kyochi appeared.

Just sitting beside her, watching her tape up her hands, was enough for both of them. Their friendship was so strong; they didn't really need to put up a front for each other anymore. Playing with a strand of her hair, Kyochi sighed. "So what is our little prodigy's game plan tonight?" He asked casually, taping up his own hands.

Katara gave him a soft laugh. "Beat up everyone in my path. Shower. Hang out with my friends." She said, throwing an arm around him when she said friends. "I already know what you're doing. I just hope the newbie people like it when I kick people's asses." She said, shoving on her gloves.

Kyochi chuckled. Hearing the trademark bells, most of the fighters went to the ring and stood around it. _It's game time._

**(A/N: If this following scene sucks it's because I had to rewrite it because my computer turned off and I hadn't saved the next about 500 words. I want to hit someone.)**

Watching the first two fighters approach the ring, Zuko studied their postures. They were both nervous and sweaty, and their eyes were roaming all over the room. "They're both new, maybe their first fights." He commented, noting Azula's approving nod. Hoping he could see more, he looked at how loose the taller one's shoulders were compared to the shorter ones. "The taller one thinks he's going to win." He figured, relieved that Azula wasn't contradicting him. Watching them approach each other and bow, he noticed a girl that was around the outside of the ring. Wearing a classically plain outfit but with striking tribal makeup, the beautiful woman looked approvingly at the shorter man.

After bowing to one another, the fight began. Swaggering towards the shorter man being called Makeinu, the taller one named Takai took a strong but inaccurate swing. Dodging the blow with a clumsy sidestep, Makeinu elbowed Takai in the chest roughly. Bent over, Takai realized an idea and swept Makeinu's legs out from under him. Falling with a resounding thud, Makeinu rolled quickly over before Takai could pin him. Standing up, he barely stepped out of the way of another one of Takai's deadly punches. Landing some relatively quick punches in Takai's core, Makeinu found a groove with his hits and got more into the fight. Takai's punches seemed even more off with Makeinu becoming lighter on his feet. Dodging one final punch, Makeinu kneed Takai in the chest and clapped his hands over Takai's ear, successfully knocking him out.

Smiling, the mysterious woman went over to Makeinu and held his hand up, to show his win. As people clapped loudly all over the arena, Azula leaned towards Zuko. "It's his first win. Clap extremely loud for him." She hinted at her clueless sibling.

Most of the fights went as a blur for Zuko. He was definitely paying attention, but he was paying more attention to the woman on the outskirts of the ring. She was obviously very powerful at the ring, which surprised Zuko since she seemed to be so very young. Regardless of age, though, she didn't seem to be a figure you would want to mess with here. As she held up the hand of a man Zuko swore he recognized, he noticed her hug him. It irked Zuko, and he didn't really know why. _But who is he? _He asked himself, watching the man scoop up the little tribal girl, trying to carry her off to no avail. That's when he realized the connection. _He was the man from the gym that carried that girl off. _And Zuko would have bet every dollar he had that she was the girl he carried out. _So I'm guessing the gym knows who they are, and they definitely know each other well… this is a whole network. _His brain processed rapid thoughts as the crowd went wild. Alarmed, Zuko looked down to see his mystery girl taking off her shirt on the sidelines.

Zuko had no problem with it, though. The girl was off a magazine. Her paint traveled down her shoulders and ended right above her sports bra. She also had a small tattoo on her right hip bone, prominent on the skinny but extremely muscular girl's frame. It seemed to be a tribal design, but Zuko doubted she got it for no reason. Intrigued, he looked to see the girl she was fighting. Azula smirked as she watched Zuko ogling the girl. "Watch out, the Painted Lady is the best there is."

Trying to find the girl she was fighting, Zuko realized he was wrong. She was the only girl in the ring, and the man coming in was a monster of a guy. He was at least 6'4", and every little bit of him was muscle. But there was something in his eyes that Zuko didn't understand. Eventually, Zuko realized that it was fear showing on the man's face. _No way, he's intimidated by her?_ He thought to himself, looking at the calm girl tightening her gloves.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, Zuko. Your sexist brain is having trouble contemplating the great mystery of what thus girl is doing?" She asked him, arms crossed. _He can be so narrow-minded sometimes, it's almost funny. I just want to see his reaction when the girl actually starts fighting. Maybe that would shut him up about the 'in-the-kitchen' jokes for once. _Azula thought to herself. Settling in herself, she got ready to watch the fight.

Zuko watched as the man from the gym called Kyochi stepped up to referee. "And now, you guys get to see the lady you all actually wait for!" He joked, making the woman blush. "And even though a certain lady never introduces the fights, I actually _like _to. So we have… the Painted Lady, and Hiroshi!" Kyochi yelled in his best voice. "Let's get ready to RUMBLE!" And with that, the fight began.

The Painted Lady let the man take the first hits, effortlessly dodging the quick blows. Ducking under the hits, she landed a couple hard punches and kicks before the man even realized what was happening. Letting the man get back, she waited for him to throw a punch. When he did, she grabbed his wrist and turned it over her back. In an instant, she lurched forward and flipped him over her back. Hearing a solid thud, she nodded to Kyochi and he ended it.

Zuko's jaw dropped. He didn't even land a single hit on her, and she wasn't even trying. _Who was this girl?_

Azula grinned. "This is usually how it goes- the new guys fight, then anyone who wants to take her on goes, then the real pros get going. These are like a warm up to her." She said, gesturing back to the ring. Unknown to Zuko, the whistle had already rung and the lady had already _beaten the guy._

Katara yawned. _This is moving slow._ Walking over to Kyochi, she whispered in his ear. "I can take two of them, you know." She said hopefully. She knew he'd never let her, since she'd embarrass them, but she could always ask.

"Well, I think we don't have many people trying to upstage the Painted Lady today. So let's get this going again. Let's see this done." He said, handing the microphone over to the Painted Lady and getting in the ring with another tall, strong man. He knew he could take Umeru any day, but it was always good to practice.

Getting into a low stance, Kyochi waited for Katara to whistle. As soon as she did, Kyochi attacked Umeru with a sudden ferocity. Aiming for his midsection, a solid strike rendered Umeru off balance. Getting to Umeru's side, Kyochi kneed him in the thigh, dropping him to the ground. Letting him get back up, Umeru took a cheap shot and hit Kyochi square in the nose, gaining a sold _crack_ and causing a lot of blood. Taking a step towards Umeru, Kyochi decided it was time to end this. Walking forward, he waited for Umeru to throw a punch. Catching the sloppy hit in his left hand, he landed a knee to Umeru's thigh, probably blowing out his knee. As Umeru's hands went down instinctively, Kyochi clapped his hands over his opponent's ears and knocked him out. With one hand raised by Katara as a symbol of victory, Kyochi used the other to reset his nose. _Sweet, sweet blood induced victory. _

Zuko's interest in the art was going up, but he was beginning to think that maybe Katara was right. _I don't really want to get into this, do I? _He thought, looking at the now bloodstained floor. _This place is entertainment-cum-deathtrap. _Everyone knew what brain damage in football did to professional players, so Zuko didn't even want to think about what the fighters looked like after years and years of this. _Seriously, these people are all crazy. _He thought.

Azula checked the time. _It's ten o' clock, and there have already been a lot of fights. _Azula thought, thinking about all of the professionals that had battled it out. _There must have already been twenty fights tonight. _"Zuko, I think this might be the last fight." She said excitedly, watching as a huge man stepped into the ring. He was well over six feet tall, with large broad shoulders and heavy muscles.

Zuko frowned. _Guys like that shouldn't even be allowed to fight. _Watching as the other men around him cowered, the man flexed his arms. Looking around for his opponent, Zuko had a small idea forming in the back of his mind. _No, there's no way they'd put her up against him, right? _But from the outside of the ring, that crazy girl stepped out. Taking off her shirt once more, she flexed her arms in mockery of the tall man.

Laughing, she waited for Kyochi to come in the center of the ring. As he did, she bowed to her opponent. "Hello, Saigo." She said indifferently to the angry, proud man. _I can't wait to actually fight. _She thought excitedly, having no qualms about letting out her inner frustration on him. _This one is for Jet._

The taller man growled before trying to attack Katara. Shifting her weight, she ducked under the arm and cupped it with one hand, while punching his bicep with the other hand. Hoping for a break, Katara groaned when she realized that his shoulder wasn't even sprained. Caught off guard by the lack of success in her last hit, the man hit her square in the collar bone, knocking her to the ground. Katara gasped in pain, and barely scrambled out of the way of the thick man's path.

Zuko's anger bubbled up. His mother, father, and all of his elders had all taught him that honor should be upheld above all else. And there was no way Zuko believed that anyone should ever hurt a woman. _That hit definitely broke a bone or two, and he's still going after her. How could anyone do that? _He asked himself, furious.

With no time to think, Katara scooted just a little further out of the man's reach. Trying to sit up, she realized for sure that her collarbone was broken. Using her other hand to stand up, she wobbled up to him. Catching his fist, she hit him in the face. _That one's for Zuko. _She thought, giving him an uppercut to the jaw. _That's for breaking my collarbone. _Getting kicked in the stomach, she doubled over but moved to the left to evade getting hit. Caught off guard, Saigo stumbled a little and Katara saw her opening. Stepping close, she got underneath his arms and sprung up. Clapping her hands over his ears strongly, she watched the man crumble to the floor. _And that's just for being an asshole._

The crowd erupted as the bloodied girl's arm was raised. Wincing in pain from the break, the Painted Lady bowed and left to the back room. Walking along side her, Kyochi patted her on the back. "That was really good, Katara. Want me to carry you?" He offered graciously to the girl.

Katara smiled. "Nope, but you can carry my cash." She joked, alluding to the bag of money that would be waiting in her car. _That's the deal. Just win and all of your problems will go away._ She thought, picking up her bag and heading to her car. "And you know not to worry about me, but I'm just saying I won't be there tomorrow. I should give my collarbone a day to heal." She said, feeling the crack just underneath her skin.

Kyoshi smiled. "How on Earth does it only take you one day for a broken bone? You have magical healing abilities." He teased, poking the girl in the stomach. "And for the record, you're never in on Fridays. You're always out partying, with your crazy friends. Ever plan on telling them that you do this?"

Katara shook her head to the best of her abilities. "They'd all just worry about me, and none of them would really understand. How could they understand? My brother isn't a fighter, and everyone else does their own thing. Apparently, kickboxing is too dangerous for little girls like me." She said sarcastically, remembering what someone had said to her.

Kyoshi laughed. "You know what, Katara? Never listen to anyone when they tell you how to live your own life. Because if you don't know what to do, there's no way in hell they'll know what you need to do." He said wisely, giving the girl some much needed advice. "If they're going to try to live your life for you, then maybe you shouldn't tell them." He suggested, almost selfishly. _Am I only saying that because I don't want to lose her?_

Katara nodded her head in understanding. "They'll never get this- what I do, why I do it. And this is a huge part of me, and I don't want to lose it." She said, holding her dog tags that weren't there. Heart skipping a beat, she sighed. "Why do you make me take those things off, Kyochi? It gives me a heart attack every time I feel for them and they aren't there." Whining, Katara grabbed her car door and stepped in.

Kyochi let out a puff of air. "Reason number one: someone could break them when you're fighting. Reason number two: someone could grab them when you fight and choke you out. It's been done before, so don't you pretend it couldn't happen. Reason number three: Very few people know who you are outside of this ring. And for safety, please keep it that way." He explained to the annoyed girl. Closing her car door for her, he placed his nose gently on her cheek and breathed out. "Have a good night, Katara."

Zuko sat on his bed, staring up at his ceiling wordlessly. He just couldn't stop thinking about that girl. She was small, but she was strong and she was tough. _She got back up with a broken collarbone. That takes something special. _And she was truly gorgeous. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her loose curls fell down to her waist, and she had an elegant air to her. She wasn't trying, but it was impossible for her to look bad. And she had the most amazing eyes Zuko had ever seen. They were blue like the sea, but they were so deep they seemed endless. And she had a tattoo. It bewildered Zuko how someone like her would have a tattoo, but it fit her well. It wasn't too big, but it was definitely noticeable. It was all black ink, and had a simple design. _I wonder what those little birds meant. _It was actually sort of beautiful. Zuko couldn't really help but love everything about her. _I think I'll go again next week._

**That last paragraph was really iffy and weird, but I guess it's okay. I just can't find the words to describe Katara's cute little tattoo. So basically it's just little birds flying off. So, that's sort of it. Yeah, but anyways I'll just write a cute little author's note for y'all. **

**So basically my writing goes like this: I write as many chapters as I can when I can and try to put them out regularly, but sometimes I just can't find the time. I'm really sorry. But I've been super productive! This is my fourth chapter I've finished/ worked on since Christmas break started, and I doubt that this will be published before about oh Gosh, Valentine's Day.**

**Let's Review, please? I love reviews so much. They make me so happy. So please Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Whoop de doo, I'm writing another chapter. Hope you like it. I'm trying to mix it up, so let me see if you find this one funny at all. Humor is good for the soul. And so is bread- Mm, bread.**

**Patty cake rocks: Dang girl, you ratchet. Being like Katara and all.**

**Luckyschoolgirl: It's going to be described by another character's POV a little later in the fanfic. Thanks for the help, though!**

**Aaliyah92: Ah, the joys of Zuko's obliviousness. **

**Nereids: You make me blush! Thanks for the review, following, and such. You rock!**

**Avatar Kyoshi: Yes… Iroh knowing… interesting…**

**So in this there's this lovely nice and warm little bit between Katara and Kyochi. I have always been against pairing anyone with an OC, but if you don't like Kyochi (for some odd reason, I absolutely adore the boy), you won't love this chapter. But they're just friends, no worries. Once you know someone really well, you know when they need a hug. That's all that really happens. **

**And if you haven't really noticed, Kyochi's becoming a little bit more than a small character. I just can't help it, the boy's just so adorable.**

**I like bread, and I like Avatar. But what a shame it is that I don't own Avatar.**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Katara's alarm clock wore her the next morning. Without thinking, she swung her arm out to turn off her alarm and heard a pop from her shoulder. Swearing, she remembered what had happened the night before and went to check her collarbone in the mirror. Sliding her shirt off her shoulder, she peeked through her eyelashes at her reflection. Seeing the visible bump and swelling, she felt around until she could tell how bad the break really was. Gently pushing the bone back into a better position, she went behind her mirror to get prescriptions from her medicine cabinet. Spreading her chosen drug in her hand, she read the label: _morphine._ Popping two into her mouth and stuffing the rest in her backpack, she silently thanked the gods that she had her own bathroom. _How on Earth would I explain where I got all of those prescriptions? _She wondered, picturing the dozens of bottles she had behind that mirror. There was no way she would ever use any of them for anything but it's intended purpose, but that's not what anyone else would think. But the pressing topic on Katara's mind was much more relevant: _how on Earth am I going to shower?_

Eventually, Katara found a method to getting ready. She would do her best to use her right hand to do whatever she needed to do, while her rather useless left arm would stay at her side. But as the admittedly large dose of morphine kicked in, Katara's actions got a bit slower and she didn't realize how much time had passed until it was ten minutes before she needed to leave. Freaking out, she put on a large sweater, leggings, and mismatched socks before skidding into Sokka's room, almost slipping on the hardwood floors. "Sokka, it's time to wake up!" She yelled, spraying his blanket with her Nerf gun.

Irritated, Sokka looked at his baby sister. Holding his doorframe for support, his usually perfect little sister was wearing a giant sweater, leggings, and two of the ugliest socks he'd ever seen. "Are you not going to accessorize at all?" He asked, slightly irritated that she wasn't using the green bag he'd spent forever finding for her last Christmas. _Crap, Christmas is coming soon. What on Earth am I going to get her?_ Glancing at the clock, he yelped a little. "We gotta go, Katara! Put on some shoes!"

Rushing around the house to find some sort of representable outfit, Sokka slid on a tee shirt and some plain jeans before watching Katara rush past him, fixing her hair into a bun. Sokka noticed that she had found a pair of Uggs to put on, and realized he was the one that needed to put on shoes. Almost falling down the stairs, he found Katara fervently making two omelets and decided to not ask for her help to find his shoes. Eventually he found a pair, and picked up his omelet before scrambling into the car. Searching for the keys, he realized that they'd need to go pick up Zuko. Groaning, her swore under his breath and pulled out of the driveway. "Hope that Zuko likes being late to school."

Not seeing his usual ride outside of the Jasmine Dragon, Zuko scratched his head. It was about the time Katara usually came to get him, so where was she? Hearing a honk from a nearby car, Zuko recognized Sokka and Katara sitting in Sokka's car. Realizing he was still in his apron, Zuko blushed profusely. Keeping his head down while he got in the car, he tried his best to ignore the laughing of Sokka in the driver's seat. As the car started, Sokka's laughter died down the smallest bit so he could get some words out.

"Zuko… I didn't know you were really into aprons, bro. Not a good look." Sokka barely managed to get out, in tears over the whole affair. Though Sokka's watery eyes made it hard for him to see and he was swerving a bit on the road, the trio didn't really mind. This road was always quiet; most of the roads in their town were. The laughter of Sokka and Katara filled the car, but Zuko turned on the radio; somehow making Katara and Sokka laugh even harder.

For a second, Zuko just listened to Katara laugh. She managed to smile and giggle a lot, but rarely did Zuko ever hear Katara actually laugh. It was a kind laugh that sounded nothing like Zuko had heard since his mom left his life. Mai almost never laughed, but the few times she did she was always condescending, and her laugh sounded haughty and cruel. But Katara's laugh sounded like little bells, and it was a musical and very happy sound. For a tiny moment, it made Zuko smile too. But then her realized exactly _what _he was smiling at and shook the feeling away. He was just glad he didn't have any classes with the girl, so he didn't have to deal with her laugh or any apron jokes.

Sokka was dying at this point. "So Zuko, do you ever work with _just _the apron on? I bet the girls find that _tea_-rrific!" Cracking up, he barely managed to park in a parking space without hitting another car. "I bet they're real fans of that nudi-_tea_! I'm sorry, I can't stop _tea_sing you. Now that was a good one!" He laughed, even though the two people walking beside him weren't laughing anymore. Seeing that he was the last one to be amused by his jokes, he sighed. "It's a shame you don't realize my true potential. I am a _God._"

Going to lunch wasn't on Zuko's to do list today. Walking past the lunchroom, he exited the school and found Sokka's car. Hopping in, he grabbed the keys from under the seat where Sokka hid them and started the car. _Sorry, Sokka. But I have to go meet someone. _After driving for a couple minutes, he arrived at the gym. Nervously opening the doors, he went straight to the weight room. _If that guy isn't here, I don't know where he would be. _Searching the room for a few seconds, it didn't take long to find the guy he was looking for. Approaching the man, Zuko tried to act as confident as possible. Looking the guy in the eye, Zuko decided to get straight to the point. "I want to kickbox."

Kyochi sighed. He was hoping to have a really good day in the gym, until this kid showed up. He wanted to kickbox, so Kyochi ran a couple things with him. He was actually a decent guy, and Kyochi wouldn't mind seeing him around in the ring. In all honesty, the guy could actually give him a run for his money in a year or two. But after they had finished, he started to actually talk to the guy to see what he was like. As it turned out, the guy was still in high school. He'll be graduating after this year. Out of curiosity, he asked him if he knew Katara. And sadly, he did. And he knew Katara would never allow him to be let into the ring. If he didn't know her, he would've started training him on the spot. _Maybe she'll let me bring him in. Maybe if she saw how good he could be, she'd give him a chance. _

"There is no way in hell, Kyochi." Katara said, angrily slamming her car door closed as hard as she could with one hand. _Why would he ask me that? He knows how I feel about my friends and fighting. _Her friends could all handle themselves and she loved them all greatly, but she would never drag them into such a dangerous world. Ignoring the teen as he tried to talk to her, she tried to walk into the bakery shop.

Kyochi grabbed her shoulder and tried to turn her around. Seeing her drop to the sidewalk in agony, Kyochi immediately began to worry. Kneeling down, he didn't need to ask if she was okay. Gently tugging her sweater so that the shoulder showed, he grimaced at the swelling. "Kat, this one looks sort of bad. Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor?" He asked, helping the girl up.

Katara shook her head vehemently. "What are they going to say? 'Ma'am, your collarbone is broken. You need to rest.' I already know that it's broken, and there's no way I'm resting it." She said, setting her backpack behind the counter. Switching the sign to Open, she sat down on a stool and looked thoughtfully at Kyoshi. "However, if you _insist_ on helping me, there is this one thing you could do." She said deviously.

Kyochi's face reddened immensely as Katara's nimble fingers tied the apron around his waist and handed him a colorful potholder. "So basically, I just take things out of ovens?" He asked wishfully, hoping that this embarrassing task wouldn't turn into a confusing and Kitchen Aid involving one. _I don't know how to add four and a half tablespoons of vanilla extract! What on Earth is vanilla extract?_

Katara laughed gleefully. "You can't wear that apron and not expect to bake things! I'll hand you a few recipes, and all you have to do is bake them for me. I'll take care of all of the scary customers." She teased, tossing him a binder filled with recipes. "We're running out of cookies, so you should bake some. Make two recipes with stars beside the names; those are our popular recipes. And while you're at it, make something we don't already have out. Yell out the names, and I'll write them on the blackboard." She said, referring to the menu hanging above her.

Kyochi grumbled while flipping through the book, saying something under his breath about binders full of women. "I'll make sugar cookies, chocolate chip, and Samoans." He said seriously, trying to figure out how to work a standing mixer. "Where on Earth is the flour? This place is a labyrinth!" Exasperated, Kyochi sat spread eagle, face down, on the tile behind the counter.

Katara let out a giggle before getting off her stool. "Kyochi, this labyrinth is so organized Martha Stewart would be proud." She said, swinging open the large pantry doors behind her. "Flour is under f, and the all purpose flour is the first one." Handing him the heavy bag, she looked at the recipes. "It's all in there. And standing mixers are sort of the easiest things in the world to work." Switching on the mixer for explanation, Katara rolled her eyes when she realized Kyochi was still on the floor. "You are the laziest person I have ever met in my life."

Kyochi got up, pouting a little. "I can probably do this, but where is everyone? Why are there no customers? Or helpers, so that I can actually understand what I'm doing?" He asked while making puppy eyes at Katara. _Maybe my seductive powers can get me out of this manual labor. _

Slapping Kyochi upside the head, Katara got out measuring cups. "Well, a lot of our customers come after they get off of work, so I usually bake fresh cookies and breads when no one's here so it doesn't feel as deserted. And the people coming from high school that come here after school usually don't get here as fast as I do, so for half an hour or two we'll probably be the only people in the bakery. But if you honestly think we can afford to have other employees, you are out of your mind. My grandmother has to work another job right now, which is why she's never here in the afternoons." She explained for the umpteenth time to her forgetful friend. _It gets so lonely in here, Kyochi. But it's a great place to just think._

Having the same train of thought as Katara, Kyochi lifted one of his bushy eyebrows. "So we're all alone, for an hour or so, with no chances whatsoever of anyone coming?" Kyochi whispered, dropping his voice even lower than usual and messing with her hair. _But in all honesty, it must be so lonely for her to sit here after school every day. Maybe I should stop by more often. _"Wait, why would Kanna have to work another job? Between your dad's checks and your cash, you guys should have more than enough money."

Hugging herself on the little wooden stool, Katara sighed. "Dad's checks aren't much, and not having him here is reason enough to want to keep you busy. She doesn't have to worry about everything as much when she has to focus on keeping us all afloat. And as for my money, it's all going to have to go towards Sokka's and my college. Sokka wants to be an engineer, Kyochi. Do you know how expensive school is?" She asked, freaking out a little over discussing the topic.

Kyochi frowned. "It's a lot to handle, isn't it Tara?" He asked, putting the mixer on low and walking up behind her. Wrapping his strong arms around Katara's tiny body, he sighed. _Why does she have to go through all of this? She's too young for all of this responsibility. _"We'll find a way to handle it, Katara. You know I'll always be here for you." He offered, trying to cheer up his best friend.

Katara snuggled into his warm grip before saying anything. _As long as Kyochi's here beside me, I guess that it's okay. _Deciding against keeping Kyochi selfishly for herself, she laughed. "Get back to making cookies, Kyochi."

Zuko stumbled into his room with his dinner, exhausted beyond comprehension. When he walked up to the man, called Kyochi, Zuko thought he was going to be lucky to get a conversation or even a look from the ripped guy. But for some reason, Kyochi had stopped what he was doing and had taken an interest in the boy. He had run with him, benched weights with him, and watched as Zuko hit a punching bag. And even more interestingly, Kyochi had asked about his life. Apparently, Kyochi knew Katara too. Zuko guessed they were cousins, relying on the fact that they were both tan, had dark hair, and had blue eyes. It was weird, though. Kyochi had deflated a little when Zuko said that he knew Katara. Taking out his phone and setting down his plate, he decided to text her.

**Zuko: hey**

**Katara: hey, what's up?**

**Zuko: do you know Kyochi?**

**Katara: yeah, he's my cousin.**

**Zuko: he's a nice guy.**

**Katara: you aren't going to kickbox.**

Zuko swore. _How does she even know that?!_ Sighing, he realized that there was no way on Earth that he would be allowed to kickbox without losing Katara. Besides, kickboxing wasn't like him. It was too physical, and relied more on agility and stamina than accuracy. Now accuracy was Zuko could do. Picking up the knife off of his plate, he looked at a bug on is wall. Taking the knife in his hand, he sent it careening towards the wall. Seeing the splat of the now dead bug, Zuko smiled before shaking his head. After that day, Zuko would never touch a sword or a gun again. It was too dangerous, and he would never hurt another person again. And staring at that kitchen knife stuck in his wall, Zuko realized he would never kickbox. He would watch it, sure. But Zuko was far too reckless to ever allow himself hold a weapon or give himself the knowledge to hurt another person. _Haven't I hurt enough people?_

**What on Earth is poor Zuko talking about? Who has he hurt? But this is the first time I've ever really let Kyochi and Katara talk for an extended amount of time, and in all honesty I absolutely loved it. It was the cutest, nicest thing ever. But don't worry guys, they'll never get together. Because then they'd have to break up and I couldn't bring myself to break their hearts. Or could I? Mwahahahahaha! Just kidding, I have a soul. So please review. Tell me if you liked it, and what you want to see more of in the next chapters. Influence me!**

**R&R!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Fishpuppy: Thank you! **

**Guest: Thanks, bro. There will be some more fighting…eventually…**

**EnyaandEathynl: What's up with all the compliments today? Y'all are just peaches!**

**Avatar Kyoshi: You read my mind. Katara will definitely tell someone about her little predicament, that's for sure.**

**Sprimgmoonlight4life: That's a good idea, but that's not exactly what I was planning on doing. Thanks for the review!**

**Kiaraaa: Katara is the most fun character I've ever had the opportunity to write. She's such a pistol!**

**Xxweslaxx: What do you think I'm doing, love?**

**With this update, I'll be about twenty seven thousand words into this fan fiction! It's been so great that I've gotten to write for y'all. I just love you guys and all of your reviews! You guys make me so happy, and I hope this makes you as happy as it makes me. I know this sounds weird, but I'm just in a weirdly happy mood and would like to thank all of you for putting up for my crazy writing and updates and all of that and OKAY BREATHE well anyways I love you guys! Enjoy! **

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Waking up far before the ringing of his alarm clock, Zuko felt a sudden clarity in his thoughts. Rising from his bed, he blinked a few times before getting up. Looking at his silent alarm clock, he realized he had a good two hours before he would need to leave. Being spontaneous, he decided to go to the gym before going to his usual morning job at the Jasmine Dragon. Rushing to get on workout clothes, an unusual smile settled over Zuko's features. _Iroh would say it's from the gods. _He mused, thinking of his sudden wanting to go to the gym. _Maybe I'll see Kyochi there again, and I can tell him I've decided against kickboxing. _Finding his car keys in the darkness, he walked out to his car. _Today's going to be special, I can feel it._

Listening to her phone's alarm blare, Katara's hand flew over and turned off the electronic. Stretching, she got reluctantly out of her warm bed. _Honestly, I think I'm crazy for purposefully waking up this early every morning. _After changing her clothes and putting up her hair, Katara walked into her living room and woke up Kyochi. _He stayed here the whole night for me. Some girl's going to be incredibly lucky to have him one day. _She thought as she shook her friend awake. "Come on loser, it's time to get going. You wouldn't want to get fat, would you?" Katara joked, poking Kyochi tenderly in his toned abdomen. _Today's just going to be great._

Listen to the steady pumping of the bass in the gym, Zuko was actually enjoying his workout. He had always been muscular, but he had never particularly enjoyed working out. But in the early morning, it seemed to be more pleasant in the mornings. Hearing the doors open behind him, he listened to the two people that came in to the gym instead of particularly focusing on the two heavy weights in his hands. They were laughing, and there was only one pair of footsteps that he could hear. _Is he carrying her? _Zuko guessed, feeling a sort of emptiness when he realized that the two were probably a couple. _I shouldn't be upset over something as trivial as that. _He thought, praising himself for a use of such a fancy word. Watching the two of them, a bittersweet grin washed over his face. The girl picked up a dumbbell and shoved it lightly at the guy. Taking it, the guy did about five reps before feigning exhaustion and pretending to wipe out of the ground. Laughing, the girl sat on his back and acted like a drill sergeant as he did pushups. Turning over quickly, he tickled the girl as she laughed even harder. Not focusing on his weights, the two iron dumbbells clinked above Zuko's head. As the two people's heads snapped up, Zuko recognized two faces- one he was very surprised to see. Wrinkling her face in a mixture of emotions, Katara stared at Zuko. "Zuko, it's nice to see you."

Katara's disappointment was unfathomable when she realized Zuko was in the gym. Katara and Kyochi were having fun, _real _fun, before she realized that there was another person in the gym. And it wasn't just any person. No, it had to be Zuko. He was the only person that would know Kyochi, and the only person who had any interest in kickboxing. So it was just _perfect _that he would be there. And from the look on his face when he saw Kyochi tickling her, there was no way that he'd believe that they were cousins anymore. _Thank you, Universe. I just love these situations. _Not only had Zuko found Katara in a rather awkward situation, Katara had to act as wimpy as she could, successfully ruining any chances for Katara to get a workout. Bored out of her mind, it was one of the few times Katara was practically running out of the gym. _That sucked. _

There were very few words to describe how Zuko was feeling after he had left the gym. Once Zuko realized who the two people were in the gym, he couldn't focus on anything except for the look on Katara's face when she realized her little _love-fest_ with Kyoshi was being interrupted. _When Kyoshi said that he knew Katara, that wasn't exactly what I thought he meant. _Zuko thought resentfully, a little angry at how annoyed Katara had been to see him. Sure, he wasn't exactly a fresh daisy in the mornings. But Katara's face had shifted into a permanent scowl for the rest of the time she was at the gym. Kyoshi wasn't exactly happy to see him, either. There was no scowl on his face, but the happy attitude he had vanished. _Seeing those guys was a real self esteem booster. I'll be so happy to see her when she picks me up. _

Cleaning a tea stain on one of his uncle's tables, Zuko tried his best to ignore the stares and giggles from the girls at the next table. After what had happened with Jin, Zuko had done his best to completely ignore all of the girls at the tea shop. _Not that it had worked particularly well. _Even though he hadn't said one word to the girls, hoping they'd get the message, they still came in every single day and embarrassed the crap out of Zuko. Looking outside, he was immensely relieved to see Katara's blue Mustang waiting outside for him. _I'm not sure what worse, really. But screw it; I'm going with the sports car._

As Zuko climbed into her car, Katara winced a little. _Oh hey Zuko, it's so nice to see you. We had a lot of fun when you interrupted a very inappropriate looking moment, didn't we? _"So what were you doing at the gym?" She tried, opting for the awkward and blunt choice. _That was really smooth Katara. You truly are a master of stealth and grace._

Zuko's cheeks flushed as a tiny smile appeared on his face. _What was I doing? I was just working out. You, however, were straddling someone. _"I was just working out, getting a head start on my New Year's Resolution." He said, trying to make a joke. _Actually, the New Year's coming up. I should have a party. _"What were you doing Katara? I mean, I knew that you know Kyochi, but that was interesting." Laughing, he could feel Katara's death stare from the driver's seat.

Being embarrassed from Zuko's comment, Katara took a second to think about what she was going to say. _Where are you, witty comeback?! _"Kyochi and I are just friends. Besides, Kyochi is gay." She spurted out, horrified at what she just said. _Sorry Kyochi, but you have to take one for the team. _

Zuko's face twisted from amused to serious. "Katara, I know it's hard to control yourself. But please try your best not to straddle defenseless gay men." He said, trying to keep a straight face. _Kyochi is gay. I didn't see that one coming. Not that it really matters all that much. _"Now, if you were to straddle a gay _girl_, then that would be something."

Katara's nose wrinkled as she thought about it. Smacking her passenger upside the head, she decided to not dignify Zuko's comment with an answer. _Why does the idea of two girls doing it seem so appealing to boys? _"You know, I'm going to remember that. And I will never bake you anything ever again." She threatened, relieved that they weren't talking about Kyochi anymore. _He's going to kill me!_

**Katara: Hey Kyochi!**

**Kyochi: What did you do?**

**Katara: I explained to Zuko that we aren't together.**

**Kyochi: Okay… why do you need to tell me about it?**

**Katara: He thinks you're gay.**

**Kyochi: Well, that's one way to do it I guess. One question, though.**

**Katara: What?**

**Kyochi: NEW PICTURE MESSAGE!**

**Kyochi: Do my shoes match my shirt?**

Zuko's classes went by surprisingly quickly, considering that he had some of the most boring subjects and teachers of all time. _I don't care about statistics or biology. I don't know why we even have to take the damn classes. If break doesn't come soon, I'm going to kill all of my teachers. _Setting his food down, Zuko cleared his throat. "What are we doing for New Year's?"

Katara shrugged casually. "My grandmother will be at the house, so there's no real option to have any fun over at the Mizu's." The kick boxer explained, zoning out a little after her sentence. _Man, I'm exhausted. What time did Kyochi and I go to bed last night? Was it midnight? _She asked herself, trying to stitch together a time table. _I didn't sleep long, that's for sure. _"I suggest Suki's house, since we never go over there."

Spitting out her Dr. Pepper, Suki looked at Katara. "Do I need to remind you of _why _we don't go to my house? Unless you guys are fine with living up the New Year with four little kids, I suggest Toph's house." The cheerleader said, subconsciously running her perfectly manicured hands through her hair.

Toph groaned and put her hands over her colorless eyes. "We're always at my house, Peppy Pants! Not that I don't like having you losers over, but we need a change of scenery. Seriously people, why do we have to stay in? Can't we go to a club for once?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips and blowing her bangs out of her eyes. "I've heard there's a new club that is super easy to get into. I can get us I.D.s!"

Aang's eyes widened as the idea of fake I.D.'s came into the conversation. "Toph, that's illegal and wrong. If everyone went around using fake I.D.s, then there would be no order. As Gandhi said, it is better to be a minority of one because truth is truth." He preached, sticking his index finger out for emphasis. Seeing the blank stares from his friends, Aang sighed. "You should do the right thing even if you're the only one."

Zuko ignored Aang's wise but annoying statements. _If I wanted to do the "right thing", I'd stay at home and knit sweaters. _"So it's settled. We'll go to this new place for the New Year and party it up. I'm glad we all agree." Picking up his lunch tray, he dumped off his trash and headed to third period. _Let's just get out of here._

Sokka watched Zuko leave the table, quieter and more irritated than usual. "What's his deal?"

Laughing, Katara unlocked the door to her bakery and stepped inside with Kyochi trailing behind. Turning on the old damp lights and pulling up wooden spoons, she grabbed two bowls of rainbow sherbet and handed one to Kyochi. "I really can't thank you enough for helping me after I sacrificed your sexuality for the sake of my cover." She joked, cracking a window for some coolness and to let the stale air out.

Kyochi smiled and took the sherbet, his nose wrinkling a little at the odd smell in the bakery. "Katara, I love this bakery. Don't get me wrong, it is my favorite place to be. But why don't you, you know, spend some cash and fix it up?" He suggested, digging into the homemade dessert.

Katara sighed. "Actually, I do fix the bakery up. You should have seen the place before I got to it. But if I do too much at one time, Kanna will start to worry about where I'm getting the money. Kanna already knows I kickbox, she just doesn't know how much cash I get from it." She explained, grabbing a blanket to warm her from the cold draft. "I close the windows right after we get some circulation. It might take a while."

Kyochi lifted an eyebrow and scooted his chair over to her. "If this is going to be a while, then I think that it's only fair that I get a small portion of the blanket. I believe it is my natural born right as a fake gay man." He said powerfully, cocooning himself in the plush blanket. _From now on, I can use that as an excuse to get what I need. Thank you, guilt trip._

Zuko parked outside the bakery, locking his car behind him. _I should buy some cookies. I'm sure Uncle would love to have some around the house. Not like he really needs them all that much. _He thought, thinking of Iroh's large belly. Walking into the bakery, Zuko's stomach dropped.

Wrapped up together in a (faux?) fur blanket was Katara and Kyochi, munching away at what looked to be some sort of ice cream. At first, the pair didn't even notice Zuko was in the shop until he cleared his throat. Springing away from Katara, Kyochi stuck his hand on his hips and bat his eyelashes. "Oh my God Zuko, is that J. Crew?" He asked, tidying up his rumpled shirt. _Katara owes me big time._

Smiling a little, Zuko shook his head. "No, it's not. But it's nice to see you Kyochi." For some reason, the situation seemed off somehow. _Kyochi didn't act this… feminine last time I saw him. What the heck is going on over here? _Trying to shake off the feeling, he remembered why he was here. "Can I have cookies for Iroh? I don't remember what kind he likes." He asked, still a little fuzzy.

Jumping off of her stool, Katara went behind the counter. "Of course you can. I'll wrap it all up for you. It's going to cost fifteen dollars or so." She said, smoothing her hair into place. It wasn't exactly the first time that Katara was in a close situation, and she was hoping that an exorbitant price would be enough to distract Zuko from the fact that Kyochi was acting really weird. _This is honestly the worst I've ever seen him cover up something. But I still owe him my skin._

Grumbling, Zuko handed her a twenty dollar bill. "Just keep the change." _If you're going to cost me an arm, why not take a leg, too? _Watching Katara's hands wrap up the cookies in a bag, he scurried out of there. _Why was that as weird as it was? And why do you care?_ Getting into his car, he reluctantly took a bite of a cookie. _Well, at least the cookies taste good._

Getting home, Zuko saw two notes left on the kitchen counter.

_Went to Ty Lee's to study, be back by dinner. -Azula_

_Going to the doctor after I close up the Jasmine Dragon, be back by dark. Don't forget to wash your apron before your shift tomorrow morning, Zuko! Iroh_

Zuko groaned. _Awesome, I have to make dinner and do laundry. What a lovely way to spend my afternoon. At least it's better than staying at a bakery. _He thought, thinking of a certain blue eyed girl. For some reason, Zuko couldn't figure her out. Next to Azula, Katara was the most unpredictable person Zuko knew. With most people, you could at least get a sense of what they were planning to do. With some people like Ty Lee, you could bet on what they'd do. But who'd have known that Katara would be at the gym at five in the morning with Kyochi, or that she'd be with him again at her bakery?

_But why does it matter to me?_ Zuko could easily make a list of the complicated or time consuming things that would usually fill up his thoughts. _Mai's always on my mind. I have a midterm coming up in Statistics, and I have no idea how to do a third of it. I have to send in my college applications. _But for some unknown reason, Katara and Kyochi was the only thing on Zuko's mind. And it was pissing him off.

Katara sat alone in the bakery. She had long since shooed Kyochi out of the shop, insisting he'd already put up with her long enough. But sitting with the persistent hum of the oven, a million things occupied Katara's mind. Stirring her tea slowly, she focused in on an idea that was racing around her thoughts. _I swear Zuko just loves to show up at the most awkward times. Why do I like him again? _Shaking her head, Katara erased it from her mind. _I don't like Zuko. There's no reason to like him. I've given him more than enough chances, and he's blown all of them. He called me a child, and sat idle while I was with Jet. He doesn't care. _But spinning her spoon around in her mug, Katara began to wonder if that was true.

_Whatever, I don't have time for this. I have enough on my plate, and I shouldn't worry about Zuko. I'm sure he'll show me that he's fine without me and get back together with Mai. Why should I care about him? There are better people and things out there for me to think about._ Taking out her phone, she texted Kyochi.

**Katara: You up for a midnight session?**

**Kyochi: Bout time you asked.**

**So you like it? I hope you do. If you do, you should leave a review about how much you love it. But maybe you don't like it- very understandable. You should leave a review telling me what you didn't like and what you'd like to see. Either way, reviews please!**

**So I have a really big break at the time I'm writing this so I should have my stuff together for a while.**

**R&R!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Avatar Kyoshi: Awkward moments sort of make my life. And yes, there will be a moment of tension breaking. Not saying it will last. **

**Patty cake rocks: Nice review.**

**Kiaraaa: I love Kyochi so much; he's such a good sport. Thanks for reading along with me!**

**Xxwesalxx: Aw, thank you! Kyochi is probably one of my favorite characters. (Just saying)**

**Guest: You anger me. What exactly are you suggesting? I'd love to have a conversation with you, but it appears you don't have an account.**

**So I'm writing this chapter in hopes that it's better than the last one. Let's just see, shall we? Y'all have a great week between the time I upload this and chapter eleven!**

**BUZZ IMPORTANT MESSAGE BUZZ So I'm not sure how exactly I'm going to do the holidays. I mean, I love holidays. Christmas is my favorite time of the year, hands down. So I'll try to mix it up but parts of the story will get mildly religious and I'll do my best not to make a Mary Sue out of any of the characters (any more than I probably already have, anyways). Okay, thanks for listening. On with the show!**

**Also important: There's a little flashback of Katara's to before her parents left for the army. It has a few Hawaiian words, so I'll put up the straight up English version at the bottom of the chapter.**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Walking into the gym, Katara breathed in the pungent smell of sweat. "There's nothing better than the smell of ole' B.O. at twelve o' clock at night." She said, punching Kyochi in the arm with a gloved hand. _Midnight practices are the best. You learn to train on low energy. If you doze off during a match, you're done for._ Having already dressed at Katara's house, Katara and Kyochi went straight into the empty gym floor.

Kyochi got low to the ground. Getting at an angle towards Katara, he watched as her body tensed and relaxed. _She's going to kick my ass. _Throwing a purposefully weak punch towards her stomach, he waited until it got her attention and threw up his knee to land a blow in the back of her knee. Listening to her curse, he smiled. _I'm going to pay for that one. _Staying close to Katara, he put his hands high and waited for her move.

Katara watched warily as Kyochi kept his hands high. _He never lands the first hit. I'm off my game. _Stepping sideways, she caught Kyochi's hand as it swung out towards her. Balling all but two of her fingers, she hit his elbow hard with her two knuckles. Stepping back, she watched with amusement as his arm fell numbly to his side. Moving towards Kyochi's useless arm, Katara sank into an even lower stance. Getting too low for anything but an awkward punch, Katara's attention went to Kyochi's legs. _A solid kick would make me lose my advantage._ Waiting for his kick, Katara sprang the moment Kyochi's knee moved. Picking it up in the crook of her elbow, Katara used her other shoulder to push Kyochi off balance. Toppling over, Katara rolled off of him, grinning. "I win."

Kyochi groaned. _I remember when I used to be able to beat her. Back in the day, I wasn't permanently in pain. _"One more round?" He asked hopefully.

Katara grinned devilishly. "Well, duh."

Katara woke up late, passing up on her morning workout. _I mean, we practiced last night, so I'm fine for this morning._ Realizing it was later than she had actually planned to get up, she swore. _Maybe I should have put on an alarm, to be actually able to WAKE UP ON TIME. _She was a light sleeper, but was already tired from not getting a lot of sleep for two days straight. After pulling on some clothes and pushing her hair into a messy bun, she ran downstairs and grabbed her keys. _Guess I'll grab some food at the Jasmine Dragon._

Zuko watched as Katara walked into the shop. He saw as the girls who hit on him relentlessly glared at the blue eyed girl. Her hair was up in a bun, and she was wearing leggings and a rolled up denim shirt with boots. _Even on a day without her trying at all, those girls absolutely hate her. _She seemed oblivious to all of the attention she was getting while she fished something out of her bag. Walking over to her, he put on a serious face. "What would you like to eat today, Beautiful?"

Confused, Katara looked quizzically at Zuko before realizing a table of five snotty looking girls was glaring at her. "Well you're delicious, but you aren't on the menu. Can I have a bagel and a coffee for the road, along with you?" She flirted, batting her eyelashes shamelessly.

Zuko pretended to write down the order. "Sure, I'll come with you. And I'll give you the bagel and coffee for free, just for being so gorgeous." He said seriously before hanging up his apron, grabbing the food, and escorting Katara out of the door.

In the car, Katara burst out laughing. "You should have seen t-t-their faces… l-l-like they'd been hit by a TRUCK!" She breathed out, barely managing to clear the parking lot. "That was amazing." She said, looking at Zuko for a split second. _And you're sort of amazing. _Keeping that thought to herself, she absentmindedly looked out at the barren trees on the edges of the road. "So what are you doing for Christmas?"

Zuko smirked a little and shook his head. "I don't celebrate Christmas. My family isn't that religious, for the most part. But we do pass around presents around New Years. What are you doing?" He said, trying to change the subject. _Mom used to love the holidays. She'd make the entire house smell like a tree. _

Katara smiled. "Well, we're going to Makahiki back in Hawaii- Sokka, my grandmother, and I. It's like the Hawaiian New Years. I'll be back before the year ends, I guess." She said dreamily, fiddling with her dog tags. _I'll get to see everyone from the tribe. I haven't seen them in ages. _"It's a great time to go surfing in the Islands. Do you ever surf?"

"No, I'm not a huge fan of the water." Zuko said disdainfully. _Who would like the water? It's cold and dark and you can't see anything in it. _"So are your parents going to go with you to Hawaii?" He asked obliviously.

Katara stiffened visibly at the steering wheel. "No, they aren't." She said roughly, ending the conversation. _How dense could this idiot be? "Are your parents going?" Well no, they aren't! _Driving into the school parking lot, she flew into a parking space. "See you at lunch." The girl mumbled.

Sitting down at the lunch table beside Katara, Zuko tried his best to ignore the cold shoulder that Katara was giving him. _Wonder what I did this time. _As time had told him, Zuko wasn't always the best with women. _Maybe I should figure out what I did. That's a good idea. _"Katara, are you okay?"

Katara looked at him, irritated. "I'm perfectly fine. It's not like you _did anything._" She gritted out, stabbing her salad. _Seriously, this guy has a problem._ "Are _you_ okay?"

Toph rolled her eyes, in disbelief at what her friends were saying. _They fight like an old married couple. _"Can you guys just go out already?" She asked, frustrated at the obvious chemistry the two had. _I've like Aang for forever, and these two have barely known each other for four months and they're both into each other. They need to take a hint! _

Katara and Zuko wrinkled their noses, as if they had never thought of the idea before. _Date __**her**__? Yeah, right. _Zuko was a jerk. He can go kiss Mai for all I care. _Katara has about as much interest in me as I have in her. We would never work. _Guys are a waste of time and I don't want to end up with another Jet. _She's a flight risk. _

Sokka laughed. "Toph, you're crazy. They'd get along about as well as Aang and Suki would. I mean, my little sister would never like Zuko." He said, sure of himself.

The whole table laughed quietly. "Yeah…"

Working alone in the bakery, Katara slaved over one of her macadamia nut pies. _I remember when Mom taught me how to make these._

"_Makuahine, what are you making?" Katara asked her mother, standing on her tiptoes to see the dish on the windowsill. "Kakamahine, it is a macadamia nut pie." Kya said, taking it off the windowsill to show it to the six year old Katara. Adjusting her flower necklace, she knelt down beside her daughter. "Would you like to know how to make them, Katara?" She asked tenderly, stroking her daughter's face. Nodding her face eagerly, Katara grabbed her apron and tied it behind her back. _

_After they had made the pie, though it wasn't as good as Kya's first one, Katara and Kya sat down on the large hammock behind her porch. "Katara, you know I have to go to be a koa for our country, right?" Kya asked the small girl. "Well, your father and I might be gone a long time. You'll stay with your kapuawahine, and it won't be the same dear. I'm sorry. But you'll still have your hoaloha Kyochi, and your kakuiakane." She said, switching in between Hawaiian and English. Katara started to cry. "Mommy, I don't want you and daddy to go." She said, clutching her mother close. Kya smiled. "But we are mo'i, and we are kama'aina your father and I. and so are you and your brother. But no matter where I have to go, we'll always be ohana. And remember this, Katara. All of this is for you." She said, braiding Katara's hair. Katara looked at her mother. "What about Sokka?" She asked, feeling bad for her brother. Kya shook her head. "You two are my keike, and I love you and your brother so much. But this- she said, showing her the dog tag she had hidden underneath her dress- is for you. I know you'll understand one day." Kya said, watching as Katara fell asleep. _

Ten years had passed since then, but Katara still wasn't quite sure why her mother had done what she'd done. _Why did you and Dad have to go? Why did you have to die for me?_

Zuko parked his car in front of Katara's bakery. He still wasn't sure why Katara was angry with him, but he figured that if anything would make her happy, it would be a fuzzy blanket and a laptop with all of her favorite movies. Opening the door to the bakery, he found Katara sitting alone, back facing him. At first she seemed okay, but then he noticed her shoulders heaving up and down and realized she was crying. Walking over to her, he sat down on the floor beside her and draped the blanket over both of them. Seeing that Katara was crying too hard to care, he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his chest.

Katara knew it was Zuko that was holding her. At first she thought it was Kyochi, but Zuko smelled like tea and bonfires. She just cried for a while in his arms, letting it all out. Hearing Zuko mumble something, she realized that she might have been crying longer than she thought and sat straight up. Seeing his laptop and the movies, she grinned weakly. "Are those for us?"

Zuko grinned. "Yes, they are. I've got some great ones- the Godfather, Star Wars, Inception, Alien, Indiana Jones, Jaws, the Thing, Jurassic Park, the works. Name it and I'll pop it in." It wasn't like Zuko was Katara's best friend, but he knew that she'd want to act like she wasn't just crying for fifteen minutes straight. _Just please don't complain that I didn't bring any movies that came from a Nicholas Spark's book. _

Halfway into the second movie, the Thing, the bakery was long closed and the lights were off. Zuko, having never seen the movie, was absolutely terrified. Practically sitting in Katara's lap, he watched the movie through his fingers. Jumping at every single noise in the movie, he was practically sweating.

Katara watched the senior with amusement. "You know, we could watch another movie. It _is_ sort of scary." She said, gesturing at the blood dripping onto the floor on the laptop screen. "We could watch Indiana Jones. That isn't too terrifying for little ZuZu, is it?"

Zuko ignored Katara's jeers. Curling even tighter into a ball, he cringed as the monster was undoubtedly attacking a man. "This isn't funny at all, Katara. He's obviously getting _EEK!_" He screamed as the monster attacked another man from behind a wall. _WHY DID I NOT BRING THE NOTEBOOK WHY DID I NOT BRING THE NOTEBOOK! _

Katara laughed for the first time that night. "You know, I'm pretty sure Netflix has some Disney movies." She offered, twirling Zuko's hair with her fingers. _He is the wimpiest person I have ever met. Honestly, I'm pretty sure Sokka would handle the movie better. _Looking down at Zuko, she wondered what she'd done to deserve him. _He's too good to be friends with me, even if he's too scared to watch this movie. _

Zuko took a big breath and sat straight up. "Why would I need Disney movies? I'm not scared of some movie. I am a man!" He asserted, using an especially deep voice. Grinning, he looked over to Katara, who was looking at him too. Leaning in closer to her for some unknown reason, he felt himself have an urge to kiss her. And from the way she was looking at him, he guessed she wanted to kiss him too.

A knock on the door broke them from their trance. Walking over to the door, Katara turned on the lights to the bakery. Unlocking it, she saw Sokka waiting outside. "What on Earth do you want, kakuiakane?" She asked, sort of irritated. _It was getting to the good part! The movie, I mean. _

Sokka blinked a couple times. He hadn't heard Katara speak any Hawaiian in years. _Not since mom and dad left. _"Please ho'omo'a, Katara! I'm so pololi!" He whined, realizing that it had been just as long since he had spoken their native language.

Katara looked at her watch and groaned. "One of these days you'll learn to ho'omo'a for yourself, kakuiakane. But Zuko is kono. I'll make a whole lu'au. Not wikiwiki though." She said, excited at the idea of having a big dinner. Turning around, she smiled at the scarred boy. "What do you say, hoapili? Are you pololi?"

Zuko kept his blank expression. He had absolutely no idea what was going on. He knew that Katara's family was pretty native, but he had never heard her switch in and out of languages. "In English, please?" He asked, scratching his head.

Katara rolled her eyes. "You don't speak Hawaiian? The foreigners don't know anything these days!" She complained, grabbing her jacket. "I'm going to make dinner at my place. You're invited to come along."

Zuko hadn't seen this much food in one place since he had lived with his dad. He tried to remember what it was like whenever Ozai had business partners over. He was usually locked in his room, but sometimes he snuck out and peeked at the dinner party. _Plates everywhere, people with grim faces. Maids would pick up and put down dishes for the businessmen. They seemed frightened all the time. _Whenever he looked at the dinner guests, he was always glad he wasn't allowed down into the dining room.

But this was nothing like what Ozai called a dinner party. Here, you could barely talk over the laughter. Katara had insisted that Zuko help her and her grandmother cook, and Zuko had made foods he didn't even know existed. The entire house smelled like heaven, and most of the dinner was spent telling childhood stories (including one that ended with Sokka having two fishhooks in one thumb). Afterwards, they had all sat out around the fireplace and ate some macadamia nut pie. Even though the Mizus were frequently slipping in and out of languages and Zuko didn't know what the conversation was about half the time, Zuko felt like he was more at home than he had been in a long time.

And it felt pretty good.

**I honestly loved that chapter. Don't know why, but I did. Hope I made y'all happy with the little Zutara! It was just for you. If you got confused, I'm going to post the paragraphs with Hawaiian terms with 100% English HERE.**

"_Mom, what are you making?" Katara asked her mother, standing on her tiptoes to see the dish on the windowsill. "Daughter, it is a macadamia nut pie." Kya said, taking it off the windowsill to show it to the six year old Katara. Adjusting her flower necklace, she knelt down beside her daughter. "Would you like to know how to make them, Katara?" She asked tenderly, stroking her daughter's face. Nodding her face eagerly, Katara grabbed her apron and tied it behind her back. _

_After they had made the pie, though it wasn't as good as Kya's first one, Katara and Kya sat down on the large hammock behind her porch. "Katara, you know I have to go to be a soldier for our country, right?" Kya asked the small girl. "Well, your father and I might be gone a long time. You'll stay with your grandmother, and it won't be the same dear. I'm sorry. But you'll still have your best friend Kyochi, and your brother." She said, switching in between Hawaiian and English. Katara started to cry. "Mommy, I don't want you and daddy to go." She said, clutching her mother close. Kya smiled. "But we are mo'i, and we are royalty/leaders your father and I. and so are you and your brother. But no matter where I have to go, we'll always be family. And remember this, Katara. All of this is for you." She said, braiding Katara's hair. Katara looked at her mother. "What about Sokka?" She asked, feeling bad for her brother. Kya shook her head. "You two are my children, and I love you and your brother so much. But this- she said, showing her the dog tag she had hidden underneath her dress- is for you. I know you'll understand one day." Kya said, watching as Katara fell asleep. _

A knock on the door broke them from their trance. Walking over to the door, Katara turned on the lights to the bakery. Unlocking it, she saw Sokka waiting outside. "What on Earth do you want, brother?" She asked, sort of irritated. _It was getting to the good part! The movie, I mean. _

Sokka blinked a couple times. He hadn't heard Katara speak any Hawaiian in years. _Not since mom and dad left. _"Please cook, Katara! I'm so hungry!" He whined, realizing that it had been just as long since he had spoken their native language.

Katara looked at her watch and groaned. "One of these days you'll learn to cook for yourself, brother. But Zuko is kono. I'll make a whole feast. Not quickly though." She said, excited at the idea of having a big dinner. Turning around, she smiled at the scarred boy. "What do you say, close friend? Are you hungry?"

**OMG some of the sentences sounded painfully awkward in English. Bare with me, it's getting to the good part! Like, I'm seriously excited. Okay bye guys! Review if you liked it, review of you didn't!**

**R&R!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**Oh my goodness guys, I'm absolutely evil. With these upcoming chapters, I'm so sorry. NOT!**

**I sort of feel awful because someone will ask to see a certain thing and I'll have already written it in a chapter but as of writing this I'm three chapters ahead, so three weeks ahead. So if you review and leave a suggestion, you'll probably see it in about a month. Just a heads up!**

**So I own the book Anna Karenina now. But I don't own Avatar!**

**Patty cake rocks: Well, aren't you a doll.**

**Rainproof Coyote: Thanks for the review. Hope you liked it!**

**Avatar Kyoshi: You always leave the loveliest, most thoughtful reviews. I really want to add more Hawaiian here and there, and I'll work on it. **

**Springmoonlight4life: I'm not telling! Just wait and see!**

**Lovin Zuko: Just give them time, I'm sure they'll come around.**

**SORRY FOR THE WAIT! **

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

**SOME TIME LATER** (yes, the dreaded time skip)

Mai woke up groggily, looking around Jet's bedroom. It wasn't uncommon for her to find herself here, during and after her and Zuko's relationship. Sure, Zuko was a cool guy. But Jet was more open and had no problem with a no-strings-attached sort of deal with Mai. Looking around for her bra, she laughed. _Could you even imagine me and Jet as an item? Jet's not made to be tied down. _Zuko was, however. There was a part of her that missed Zuko's patience and understanding. He was nice to be around, and made her feel safe. _Screw it; I'm going to get him to love me again. _

Entering the terminal at the airport, Katara looked around the room. Hopeful to see a familiar face, she squealed when she saw Zuko waiting for her. Running up to her friend, she hugged him tightly. "When I said I expected a party waiting for me back inland, I didn't actually expect one!" She said, pulling him over to the baggage claim.

Zuko smiled at the girl, who hadn't seemed to lose any energy at her family reunion. She did seem a little happier, though. Instead of leaving her hair in her usual braid, she had it mostly down- spare a bun at the bottom of her head. And she was wearing a dress with sandals, along with her dog tags. "Well I dropped the three of you off here, so of course I'll pick you up." He said, motioning to get Sokka's attention.

Sokka noticed the two of them and ran over. "Man that was fun! Zuko, you should've seen the girls on the airplane over. Their haiku club was going to Hawaii! They were very hot/ though the old lady didn't/ like me very much. But I was so glad that Kyochi ended up making it over!" He said ecstatically, hopping off to find his suitcase.

Zuko smiled. "Well, it seems that Sokka had a good time too." He guessed, watching the hilarious immaturity of his friend. Looking at the waiting Katara, he remembered the club they were all going to that night. "I have your fake I.D.s in my wallet. Is that what you're wearing?"

Katara's eyes widened. "I completely forgot about the party! What am I going to do? I can't wear this!" She shrieked, looking down at her dress. There was nothing wrong the dress and it was actually quite pretty. But the creamy dress with little pastel flowers wasn't exactly appropriate for a night out clubbing. "How am I supposed to do my hair?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. Katara was generally quite simple and not very materialistic, but she could get very into her hair and clothes. _You look gorgeous right now. What's wrong with what you're wearing? _"Katara, there's nothing wrong with how your hair is now. It's actually really pretty." He said, picking up a strand with his two front fingers.

Katara's cheeks turned a rosy pink. "Thanks Zuko, but I seriously doubt that this getup is appropriate for a club." She said, simply stating what she thought was the truth. _Not that I don't love this dress. It's to die for. _Picking up her suitcase, she began following Zuko to his car. _I really hope Sokka figures out where we're going. _

Zuko laughed. _She doesn't even know, does she? _If there was one thing he didn't understand, it was how someone that was so obviously pretty could be so unaware of their own looks. "Whatever floats your boat Katara. Personally, I think I am going to wear a little sundress to the club."

Katara studied herself in her bedroom mirror. She looked at her sweater and her jeans, and wondered if she was dressed well enough. Glancing down at her toms, she took them off and chucked them at her closed door. _What the heck am I supposed to wear?! _It wasn't like she had ever been to a club before. Looking at her closet one more time, she got a marvelous idea. _If I can pull this off, this will be the best outfit ever._

Waiting for Katara and Sokka outside of their house was Zuko Kasai. In his car sat Suki, while Aang waited behind him with Toph. Zuko checked his watch, which read 9:00. _It's not like there's a time we have to be there, but it would be nice if they would hurry up. _Hearing the screen door creak open, Zuko looked up to see Katara and Sokka. And boy, did he see Katara.

Hot damn. Katara had kept her hair in the same fashion she had it in as she got off the terminal, but that was the only similarity in the outfits (apart from the outfits universal dog tags). Katara had changed into a faded pink tank top, big enough that the ends needed to be tucked in and you could see her bandeau through the holes. Her skirt fit her curves perfectly, and it ended mid thigh. It too was faded and was denim, matching her top perfectly. Someone had convinced the girl to wear pumps, and she wasn't stumbling at all in the solid Black Death traps. She had golden bangles and golden rings on, contrasting with the silver dog tags. In her hand she clutched a jacket. She let out a nervous smile. "I do okay?"

Toph laughed. "You're kidding me right? I think every guy here is ready to do you- minus Sokka." She said, watching Aang turn on the ignition. _Maybe this will be what it takes to get Zuko to finally like her. They've been acting so close lately, but he's so oblivious it hurts. _"We'll see you there, Mizu. Finally, we get to go to my kind of club!"

Mai pouted at her reflection. This outfit wasn't good enough. She knew where Zuko was going to go, and she knew that this might be the only chance she gets to win him back. She'd noticed how that little Katara girl had looked at him, and she didn't like it one bit. _Tonight's the night that's going to change._ Trying on another one of her dresses, she squeezed into the tight dress. Squishing everything into place, she laughed in the mirror. _Yeah, this'll do it. _Putting on even more black eyeliner than usual to match her dark lipstick, she slipped on a pair of stilettos. _That girl thinks she has a chance. _

Katara bumped into Zuko, smiling at her friend trying to talk to her over the beating bass of the speakers. Seeing him motion to go outside, she followed Zuko to the balcony that overlooked the skyline. "I don't know how Toph found this place, but it's amazing." She said, glancing up at the stars.

Zuko smiled. "It's pretty awesome." He added, talking over his dry throat. _I could really use a beer right now. _"Here, I'll go grab you a drink." He offered, walking off.

"NO!" Katara shrieked before realizing how much she was overreacting. Seeing Zuko's confused expression, she tried to laugh it off. "I'll come with you. Two's company, right?" She joked, walking beside him. _It's not that I don't trust you, Zuko, but things didn't turn out well last time someone brought me a drink. _

Zuko gave a halfhearted laugh while walking to the nearest bar. "Two please." He ordered, passing Katara her can and walking back to the balcony. Closing the glass door behind Katara, he sighed. "Sometimes I just want to get away from here, you know?"

Katara laughed, seeing the humor was wasted on Zuko. _If only you knew Zuko, you and I could run away. I definitely know how you feel. _"If you wanna fly, you have to give up the shit that weighs you down." She quoted; thinking about what weighed her down. _I'm not weighed down by anything I can get rid of. I have to support Sokka and Kanna and Dad overseas. I can't escape this life. _She thought, finally facing the grim truth. _Maybe I'll go just to prove I can. _Even though she knew she couldn't. But a thought started forming in her mind, one to match a memory she tried to forget.

_Katara didn't know where she was going; all she knew was that she was going somewhere with Kya. In fact, Katara didn't know much at all back then. She knew she was six years old, she knew how to surf, and she knew how to bake a macadamia nut pie. But she didn't think that this had anything to do with any of those things. Seeing the beach coming into view, Katara had a smile grow on her face. "What are we doing, Makuahine?" She asked, bolting out of the car and onto the sand._

_Docked at a small wooden dock was the most beautiful thing Katara had ever seen. Drifting in the summer sun was a sailboat, with the name the Painted Lady on the side. It was old and covered with barnacles, and hadn't been painted in years. But to Katara it was the most beautiful thing in the world. Jumping into the boat, Katara looked at her mother sitting on the dock. "Are you coming, Makuahine?" She asked, wondering what her mother was doing. _

_Kya shook her head. "Katara, you cannot brave a storm without knowing how to sail the ship." She said, dropping the mildewed canvas sail down. "You can't go through life without knowing what you're doing- that's not very Hawaiian at all."_

_After a tedious tutorial of how a sailboat worked, Katara and Kya got to actually sail. And to Katara, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever done. As she learned quickly, it wasn't glamorous or for the faint of heart. It was hard work steering the sailboat. But Katara was drawn to it, and Kya was fascinated by how good she was at sailing. _

_After they had docked the boat, Kya took a picnic out of her car. "Are you pololi?" She asked, waving a piece of bread in the air. Running over, Katara smiled brightly. Taking the bread and sitting down, she looked at her mother. "Makuahine, we should go farther next time! We should go past the island and out of the bay! Maybe we could go to Hawaii!" She dreamed, making plans._

_Kya laughed. "To sail to Hawaii is a long way away from Kauai, Katara. But here's a promise- when your father and I get back from being koa, if you know enough about sailing, we will sail until we find where the sun touches the horizon." She promised, tapping Katara on the nose._

_Katara wrinkled her face. "I'm not going to sail without you, Makuahine. I like sailing, but I like sailing with you better." She stated stubbornly._

_Kya laughed her sweet laugh. "The day I come back, we're going to sail as long as we want. Okay?" _

Except she didn't come back, and Katara didn't sail again. _I'm not sailing without Makuahine. _Katara thought, realizing how much she had missed since the day she was told that Makuahine wasn't coming back. She thought back to the hair, cut in the bathroom, she chopped off her head the day she learned her mother died.

Part of her came back. She wanted to be cremated (much to the tribe's horror), so that part of her was with Katara. No one had protested when Katara, then just eight, claimed her mother's ashes. _No one protested when I took care of the family. No one protested when I put myself last. No one protested when Dad took another tour in Iraq. No one said a word. No one reminded him of his motherless children. No one thought of what I'd have to do. _Maybe it was time she let someone take care of her. "Maybe we should just sail away."

Zuko nodded, not sure what that meant to her. He knew it meant _something_; he could feel her head shaking on his shoulder. Grabbing a chair, he pulled her into it beside him. Feeling her entire body shake, he wrapped his arms around her. "We'll sail until we're at the place where the sun touches the water." He offered, unaware of what that meant to her.

Katara shut down, wrapped in his arms. _There's no way to glorify what I have to do. _She'd seen what happened when her mother died and father didn't come back. She saw her people's dreams die, and she saw her entire world crash down to her feet. _I can't leave again, Zuko. I can't let them all die inside again. I can't escape the life I've built for everyone around me. _She wasn't stupid. Without her kickboxing, there was no way to put Sokka through college. There would be no money for Kanna, whose health was deteriorating with her age. If something happened to her Dad, there had to be money for his ongoing treatment. _I wish I could, Zuko. But that can't be my dream anymore. _Because sailing would mean she was stuck in the past. The only Painted Lady she could afford now was the one that supported her family. She couldn't just run away any more. But maybe she could sit in Zuko's arms a little longer.

Mai didn't like what was going on outside. Zuko was having a little moment with _Katara Mizu. _She wasn't cool; she wasn't rich or from a strong lineage like Mai was. She was a freaking _no name._ Mai didn't get it at all. What did she have that Mai didn't? Looking down at her outfit, she smiled. _Well, she doesn't have this body. And I can use it._

Curled up into Zuko's body, Katara's ears heard the glass door slide open. Standing in the doorway was Mai. As in Zuko's ex girlfriend, the crazy one. But this didn't look like Zuko's ex girlfriend. Zuko's ex girlfriend was quiet and dark and gloomy and had a depressing wardrobe to match her depressing attitude.

This Mai was nothing like that. Her face was polished perfectly, suddenly contrasting perfectly against the dark black eyeliner. Her lips were a dark red, and she had left her surprisingly long hair down. It fell in a sheer waterfall, straight down to the small of her back. Her dress looked like it should be illegal for public television. Her waist seemed tiny, and her boobs were popping out in a way that Katara knew hers never could. The black dress was impossibly short, and it matched her stiletto shoes. Beside her, Katara felt like a child. After studying her gorgeous but slutty attire, Katara put out a smile. "Hey Mai, what do you need?" She tried desperately, feeling immature under Mai's piercing glare.

Mai smiled. Years of Japanese manners and countless balls spent quiet in the corner had perfected Mai's eye for body language, and she could tell how insecure Katara felt. Looking at Zuko, she saw the lust he felt. "I was just wondering if Zuko wanted to come with me to get a drink, is all. That wouldn't be too much to ask, right?" She asked, widening her eyes and running her black fingernails down Zuko's arm.

Zuko grinned. "Of course I'll come!" He said, standing up and walking inside. Seeing that Katara wasn't following them, he looked at her. "I'll be back in five." He promised, being dragged inside by Mai.

An hour had passed, Katara in the same position that she had been in before Zuko left, minus Zuko. She was no idiot; she knew that Zuko wasn't coming back the second Mai dragged him inside the club. Sitting in the cold, she berated herself for being so _stupid._ _You honestly think you mattered to him? _Feeling something cold touch her nose, she realized it was snowing. Checking her watch, she read the time as 11:30. Shivering as the snow came down, she put on her jacket. _I've already celebrated the New Years in Hawaii. I don't want to go inside. _Feeling the snow drop on her, she sat up. _This is why you don't trust people, Katara. How can someone who's been burned so many times trust so easily? _Looking into her beer can, she didn't notice the drunken man that stumbled outside.

"Hey babe, aren't you a looker!" He managed to get out, clutching onto the railing for support. "You know, the New Years is coming up _really _soon. We should kiss." He drawled.

Katara said nothing to the drunkard. _Why waste my time on him?_

The man walked over to her and picked her up by her shirt. "Listen, you… you bitch! Answer me when I'm talking to you!" He slobbered out, spitting on Katara's face with every syllable.

Katara winced. _I hate to do this. _Hitting him with an uppercut, she knocked him off of her. As the man stood up, Katara hoped he'd get the hint. As he charged her, it became evident that he wasn't planning to calm down. Planning to catch his hit, Katara was surprised to feel a searing pain on her cheekbone. _He hit me?!_ Bewildered, Katara realized that she had been on her third beer before this started and she could be in a dangerous situation. Deciding to end it, she kneed him in the gut. When he hunched over, she clapped his ears and rendered him unconscious. Feeling the bruise forming, she realized that no one had helped her. _How many people saw me fighting a man twice my weight and did nothing. I really am alone. _Walking into the dark club, she found Sokka. "I'm just going to text Kyochi and get a ride from him and go home, okay? It's only like ten miles from here to the house." She yelled over the music. Leaving the building, she watched as the snow fell around her.

Katara knew full well she didn't have her phone on her.

She walked home. Alone in the snow, she laughed at her own stupidity. "Let's sail away." She muttered, kicking a pebble along the sidewalk. "Let's all just sing Kumbaya together." Looking at the snow, she wondered how many mistakes she could make before they shipped her off. _Zuko chose Mai over me. Never forget that._

Up against a club wall, Zuko and Mai were going at it. Mai didn't care that they were in public, and Zuko was too into Mai to care. Hearing everyone shout happy new years, Zuko and Mai finally broke apart. "I guess we're back together." He said, smiling. _Why did I ever quit her?_

Mai smiled to the best other abilities. "Yeah, I guess we are." She said, trying to sound happy. _All it takes is one tight dress and bubbly day and I have him again. _Mai had probably faked more smiles for Zuko today than she had her entire life. _Now I have him, and I have Jet. And Katara has no one. _

**I officially have no soul guys. I feel awful but I think that was actually a good chapter. Again, I feel bad for breaking Katara's heart again. But if no one ever hurt Katara, she wouldn't be as guarded as she is. **

R&R!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Woo hoo! Stuff's gonna go down here soon y'all. **

**Sorry for not updating. **

**Rainproof Coyote: Believe me, I only get more evil. Just wait, dearie.**

**Fishpuppy: A lot of guys fall for the slutty attire. Can't blame them, I guess it would be like Channing Tatum running around shirtless. Mmmmmmmmm.**

**Ava-potter gal: Just did. Enjoy!**

**Kiaraaaa: Oh my goodness. If it didn't stand against everything I stood for, I would sooooo ship them. I mean, they've known each other forever and they're just so cute. But nope, there will NEVER be Kyotara.**

**10pandaluvr10: She'll get better, I promise.**

**Lifeisnowhere-182: They will end up getting into a skirmish. Promise.**

**Springmoonlight4life: Thankssss!**

**Avatar Kyochi: I actually have four ready to go… you mad, bro? Don't worry little English teacher, they'll duke it out. **

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Katara woke up late, skipping her morning workout. Feeling groggy, she looked at herself in the mirror. _I look like crap. _Her left cheekbone was an ugly shade of purple, and her eyes were red from crying and the hangover. Heading to the shower, she wondered how she was going to cover up her bruise. _Do I even have that much concealer? _Katara hadn't gotten hit this badly since she had started kickboxing. _I'm going to look interesting today. _Realizing that she was ten minutes late to get Zuko, she laughed. _Zuko can get his own ride to school._

Blushing, Zuko ignored the squeals and giggles of the girls giving him a ride to school. _Why couldn't Katara have picked me up? I can't deal with these girls. _He also knew that Mai would get jealous if she knew that these girls had driven him to school. Seeing the school in sight, he drew a breath of relief. "Thanks ladies, but I have to go." He said, scrambling out of the car.

Going into the building, he saw an upset looking Katara walk down the hallway. She was wearing a button up denim shirt, leggings, and sunglasses to match his. He smiled and waved at her, trying to get her attention. As soon as she noticed him, she frowned and turned the other way. _What did I do? _He thought, trying to remember what happened. Then he realized that he left her out there last night and that she might still be mad. Running to catch up with her, he turned her around. "Katara, I'm so sorry about last night."

Katara laughed a little, shaking her head. _If you were so sorry, then you wouldn't have left me out in the cold. _"You know what Zuko? You're not sorry. And I think I'm used to it now. So just go away." _Actually, I think this is the first time he's ever apologized to me. _

Zuko groaned. "Katara, I know that I messed up. But I lost track of time with Mai, and I'm sorry."

Katara laughed. "You don't get it, do you? I'm done. There's no need to apologize, because I don't want to hear it." She said, trying to walk to her homeroom. Hearing Zuko mumble, she turned around. Taking off her sunglasses, she looked him in the eye. "Stay out of my life."

Zuko groaned as he walked to his homeroom. _Why do I always do the wrong thing? I shouldn't have just left her out there. She's really pissed off. _Seeing someone step in his way, he was surprised to see Mai. But this wasn't how she usually looked. Instead of her usual baggy black clothes, she had skin tight jeans and a tiny shirt. Her hair was down again instead of her usual coif. She looked like a prostitute_. _"Hey Mai, I like the outfit." He said, kissing her.

Mai rolled her eyes. _All it takes is an outfit two sizes too small. _"Good to see you, Zuko. I'm glad to see that you enjoyed last night." She flirted, taking a step into his personal space. Grabbing his hand, she began walking towards their homeroom. "So I guess we're back together?"

Zuko gulped in his throat. _After all of her crap, I still can't say no to her. _"Yeah, I guess we are." He said, not noticing the small smile on her face. _The group is not going to like this. _

"Are you kidding me, Zuko?" Sokka yelled, not believing who he was seeing at their lunch table. _Mai is a nutcase! She controls him and he just becomes a little puppy. _Shaking his head, he looked at Suki. The cheerleader had the same look on her face as everyone else at the table did- disgust, contempt, and disappointment. But Katara had a different look on her face, one that Sokka didn't usually see on his baby sister. Katara looked disappointed, but she wasn't surprised at all. She was also sort of amused, for whatever reason. _I've never understood the way Katara acts, so why start now?_

Aang had his eyebrows scrunched, sitting wordlessly beside Toph. _Mai isn't right for Zuko. It's clear as day, and the only person that can't tell is Zuko. _Even Mai seemed to know that this wasn't right. She had a look of pride on her face, not love or adoration. _This is wrong. _

Toph snorted, moving her chair closer towards Aang's. _This is too good. _Years of frilly dresses and oppressive actions by her parents led her, a lot like Mai, to read faces and body language pretty well. _When you can't hear tone, you have to find another way to tell what someone really means. _Most of the group was surprised and angry, without a doubt. But Katara was chilled out. _Man, I should get some popcorn ready because shit's gonna go down. _

A week had passed since the New Years and nothing had gotten any better. Mai and Zuko had stopped coming to the table, and were always slinking off to some dark place. Katara had been focusing on the ring more, trying to block out the feelings she had. Kyochi came around more often, trying to cheer up his friend. But it didn't really seem to be working.

Kyochi sighed as he watched Katara bake in the bakery. She was stirring the cookie batter fervently, her eyebrows creased. _She looks like she's about to kill someone. _He didn't know why, but Katara had been in this odd mood ever since she got back from the tribe. _Maybe she's just missing home. _"Katara, what happened?"

Katara laughed, letting out a breathy sigh. "It's sort of a long story, Kyochi." She said vaguely, hoping that he might drop it. _Why does he have to care? It's not like I can't take care of things myself. _Looking at the bowl of cookie dough in her lap, she tried to ignore the stare Kyochi was undoubtedly giving her. Sighing, she put the bowl in a counter. "Alright, I suppose I can give you the story."

Wringing her hands, she stared at the floor. "So it all started at this crazy club that all of my friends went to on New Year's Eve, the day we got back from the Southern tribe. Things got sort of loud and annoying at the place, so Zuko and I went outside to talk and drink beer. Not a bad idea, you know? So we got to talking and apparently he's a fan of skipping town and running away. So I suggested we sail off, you know. Also thought it was a good idea. Well, I thought he was special. So then he left me out on the porch to make out with his ex girlfriend, which kinda made me angry. I got into a fight with some jerk trying to take advantage of my drunken ass, which is how I got this bruise." She said, rubbing the concealer off her face. "After that, I walked home in the snow. It's actually kind of peaceful to do. So now he and Mai are together. End of the sad little recap over the past week's events."

Kyochi rubbed his eyes, taking in what Katara had just told him. _Alright, bro. Just play it down, so Katara doesn't get into a mess. Make it as neutral as possible. _After knowing Katara all of her life, Kyochi knew how to handle her reactions. "So let me get this straight, Katara. You and Zuko decided you guys would just sail away together, and then he left you in the cold." He said, as stone faced as he could be.

Katara rubbed her arms uncomfortably. "You know, I've already displayed that I am one _awful _judge of character. So this shouldn't come as a huge surprise to you. But to be honest, I was ready to do it. Actually go out on a sailboat again, enjoy the ocean, and maybe move on. However, Zuko had different ideas for how it would all turn out. I suppose I should really learn how to tell whether or not someone's a jerk. Is there a how to book for that?" She sneered, trying to sound as sarcastic as possible.

Kyochi ignored her defensive attitude. "You can't run around this, Katara. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Katara snorted. "What is there to talk about, really? I can't focus when I'm around him. All of the normal, rational decisions I would make usually turn into stupid decisions whenever I talk to him. And every time I look back on what I said or did, I feel like an idiot. '_Let's sail away, Zuko!'_ How many beers did I have?" She asked herself, on the edge of tears. "I'm just so _stupid _sometimes!"

Kyochi hugged her for a minute, not really sure what to do. _I've known her for her entire life, and she's going downhill. _It was like a snowball effect for Katara, and Kyochi was seriously worried. _When it rains, it pours. _"We'll get through this, Kat. I'll always be here for you." He promised.

Katara pushed him away. "No, you won't be! Everyone says that to me, and no one means it. I'm sick of everyone making promises they won't keep. No one ever stays, Kyochi!" She said, tears streaming down her face. "Mom and Dad didn't stay, and you won't either! Zuko definitely isn't staying around. What makes you any different?"

Kyochi ignored her fighting and wrapped his arms around her again. "I can't explain to you why Kya and Hakoda had to leave, Katara. I don't know a lot about it and I can't tell you anything. I can't say that I know why Zuko's doing what he's doing, and I don't think he's right to do it. But I promise you that I'll always be here for you. I'm never going to leave you, Katara."

Katara said nothing, sat in the warmth of his arms. She didn't believe a word of what he said, but liked the fact that he tried anyways. _You'll stay for a while. But something will come up. It might be a girl, or a job, or something else- I don't know. Like it or not, this won't last. _But trying her best to smile, she looked at Kyochi. "Thanks, Kyochi. I know you mean it." _No you don't. No you don't. I need to get away from you, Kyochi._

Zuko waited casually at the sushi restaurant, not yet seated. He'd agreed to meet Mai here at five thirty, and it was five forty five. _Why does she always do this? _Rubbing the back of his neck, he checked his phone. _This is the second time this week she's stood me up for no reason at all. _He and Mai had been dating for a month now, and she had become just as grouchy and irritable as she had been before the New Year's. Seeing a figure coming near the door, he strained to see who it was. Recognizing the walk, he sighed and realized that it was Katara. _Great, another girl that's mad at me. At least she has a reason to be. _

Katara sat down beside him uneasily on the bench, not saying much. _This has been going on long enough, Katara. He knows what he did, and he's sorry. Maybe I could give him a chance. I remember when we were best friends, back before he left me out there. _But Katara had been hit in the head several times since the New Years, and the ring's punches left her wondering what exactly might have happened. _Maybe I should have followed them. It's not like they locked me out. _Taking out her phone, she mindlessly texted her friend. "Hey." She mumbled, keeping her voice low.

Zuko's head snapped up, a stupid grin across his face. "Hey Katara, what are you doing here?" _Thank God she's talking to me again. I've been going crazy._

Katara shut off her phone, stared at a chef making sushi. "Thought I'd stop by and grab some food. Want to grab a table or something?" She offered, biting her lip a little out of anxiousness. _After how long I was giving him the cold shoulder, I don't deserve for him to say yes. But he was being such a jerk, he didn't deserve for me to ask._

Zuko nodded, signaling a waitress. "I'd love to. So what are you doing tonight? Since my date ditched me, most of my plans are cancelled. I was thinking about going to the underground fight tonight." He said, thinking about the people he saw there. He was still a new face on the scene, and no one really respected him. But he knew a few people and really loved it there. _Maybe I can get Katara to go with me tonight. I think she'd like it. Maybe not all the violence, though. _

Katara snorted, shaking her head. _He's never been to a fight, and probably never will. _"There's no fight today. Fights are on Thursdays." She answered mindlessly, a little too quickly. "That's what I've heard anyways." _That's right, Katara. Slow down your thoughts, think before you talk. Not too quickly, nothing too quickly. _

Zuko cocked his head, wondering how she knew what day they fought. _She's never been to a fight, so she probably knows from Kyochi. _"I could've sworn Azula told me there was a fight today. Something about the Chinese New Year, I think."

Katara dropped her fork, berating herself for forgetting the New Years fight. _How could I forget it? Everyone from the tribe is going to be celebrating! _Putting down a twenty dollar bill out of her wallet, she hugged Zuko. "I have to go; I forgot to make food for Sokka. I'll see you tomorrow!" She said, rushing out to her car.

Zuko creased his eyebrows and looked at the twenty dollar bill on the table. "But we didn't even order yet."

Scrambling into the locker room, Katara located Kyochi. "Sorry I'm late, I forgot about the fight." She admitted, opening the locker she hid her spare set of fighting gear in. Stripping down quickly, she jumped into her shorts and sports bra. _Who needs shirts anyways? Not someone who doesn't mind changing in front of a guy. _Pulling her hair up and tightening her shoelaces, she walked over to Kyochi. "We got this, bro."

Kyochi rolled his eyes and walked her over to the mirror. "If you want your identity to stay even remotely hidden, you might want to put on the paint." He joked, sitting back to watch her put on the native markings. Red paint put above the eyes, on the cheekbones, lips, and her chin. A yellow crescent moon on her forehead, and she was undetectable. Looking at her tattoo, he frowned. "I know what that tattoo means to you, but I think you should really cover it up. No one has a tattoo like that." Looking at it, it reminded him of home back in the tribe. It was solid black, a wheel with intricate lines, patterns, and figures inside it. She never told anyone exactly what it meant, but tattoos were always intimate personal things for the people of the Southern tribe. "We gotta go, Kat. We're gonna miss our fights."

Zuko stood among a group of fifty, hearing no music in the ring's arena. He found that while the nightclub feel and glamour was here year round, music and huge crowds usually didn't come around that often. Swirling a margarita around in his hand, he found absolutely no interest in the fight below him. He was only interested in the Painted Lady's fights. Mai was also in his thoughts, as usual. _She's been such a jerk lately, but I could never break up with her. _Seeing a slight splat of blood on the concrete floor, he winced. _That would be my face if I tried to break up with her. _Mai was a talented knife thrower, and was actually a strong person. _Just be grateful you still like her, because you aren't ending this relationship._

He thought about Mai for a second. She was dark and gloomy and didn't talk sometimes. Sometimes, though, she could be a genuine friend and was fun to hang out with. Zuko wasn't sure why, but he was in love with her. _Love is a scary word. It might be too strong, but I'm pretty sure I love her._ Seeing the Painted Lady come out of a back room with Kyochi, he rolled his eyes. _How come everyone knows this guy but me? Even Katara is friends with him. _

Seeing the Painted Lady walk out onto the floor, she seemed rushed. _I'm sure she'll shake it out. _Seeing the brutish man walk to the other side of the ring, the Painted Lady smiled and cracked her knuckles. Bowing, she went on the offensive. Landing a few punches, she miss stepped and found herself breathless on the floor. Scrambling to get back up, she tried to kick his legs out from under him. Finding it useless, she jumped out of the way of the man's fist. Balling her hands, she began a rapid series of tiny hits to block his chi. the man, disoriented, took a step back. The Painted Lady, seeing a chance, hit him square in the jaw. Angry, the burly man hit the Painted Lady in the mouth. The girl, standing up, seemed confused. _The Painted Lady chi blocked him. How did he punch her? _

Spitting out some blood, Katara felt her anger rise. _I never lose. Who does this no name think he is? _Feeling her hits get stronger, she grabbed his wrist as he tried to hit her back. Twisting it, she brought him to his knees. Dropping his wrist, she clapped her hands over his ears. _Game over._ She stood up, blood gushing out of her busted lip. She heard people cheering, but she didn't care. _I'm not in this for the fans._ Picking up the sack of money, she headed towards her car. Katara never knew how much money she'd get; she just knew she'd get money. Today seemed to be a good day. This was the Mizus real source of income, and their futures depended on how much money was in that sack. The bakery was busy, but it was nowhere near enough to keep everyone going. _Kyochi has his family, and there has to be emergency money for that. _Looking at her busted lip, she turned on the ignition. _Let's go home now, eh? _

**This was an awkward sort of chapter right? I want to hear your reviews.**

**R&R!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen **

**So in case you haven't noticed, I've gone through some awkward little time skips. We're in mid February right now, just so you know. I just can't wait for spring. Not in the fanfic, I mean actual spring. Bring on the sun!**

**You guys are so awesome, with all of your reviews; I'm going to have to stop responding to them in the chapters. I still read them and love them, and if you want to talk to me feel free to PM me.**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Judging the slight bruising on her face, Katara shrugged and left her bathroom. _It's not too bad today, they won't see it. _There wasn't too much to see, just a puffy lip and a dark chin. The rest was covered by her sweater and leggings, and Katara was glad that she didn't have gym. Flicking her hair behind her back, she looked out at the cold rain hitting the windows. _It's getting so hard to keep this under wraps. _Grabbing her keys, she found Sokka sitting glumly at the table. Walking over to him, she hugged him tightly. She wasn't really sure what was wrong, but she could guess. _Without Mom and Dad around, Sokka and I have to stick together._

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him towards the car. "We should save gas. Our grandkids want to see polar bears, right?" She joked, trying to coerce him into the car. Sokka sighed, plopping into the passenger seat. Getting out of the garage, Katara was really worried. "What's wrong, Sokka? You seem really upset today."

Sokka rubbed his eyes, blinked a few times. "Valentine's coming up. You know that, right?" He answered, mumbling out his feelings.

Katara cringed and tried to focus on the road. _Twenty years ago, our parents got married on Valentine's Day. Now both of them are gone, instead of being here with us. _Staring at her moving window wipers, Katara bit her lip tenderly. "Sokka, I know what you're thinking. But I really think that Dad would be here if he could. He didn't leave on purpose."

Sokka laughed cruelly, surprising Katara. "You really think he'd be here, Katara? When Makuahine died, he had an option to come back. Actually, I'm not sure if he had an option to stay. And when he did come back, he left again in two weeks. He sent us out here to live with Kanna. You were _eight_, Katara. I was _ten._ And he left us!" He ranted, every word hitting home with Katara. "You remember back at the beginning of school at Toph's party, when you said that you didn't have family problems? You _freaking lied." _

Katara blinked furiously, trying to hold back any tears. Seeing the foggy sign signaling the turn to the Jasmine Dragon, she took the sharp left, hearing her tires screech. "They really need to get that fixed." She mumbled, thinking of what it must be like with ice. Seeing Zuko waving from under an awning, she cleared her throat and sat up straight. Driving beside him, she gave him a huge smile. "Get in Zuko, we don't have all day."

Sokka rolled his eyes as the scarred boy got in, not the least surprised by Katara's mood change. If anyone on Earth deserved an Oscar, it was Katara. Even right after the funeral, Katara was able to do a 180. He had never been like that. When Sokka felt an emotion, it was evident. But Katara could flip at any time. Sometimes Sokka wondered if she felt any real emotions at all.

Zuko grinned widely at Katara, oblivious to the grim faces and morose mood of the two other people in the Mustang. _Sokka's riding with us. That's a first. _Messing with his phone casually, he saw a couple texts from Mai. _And by a couple of texts, I mean 12. _

**Mai: Hey babe**

**Mai: Wow you didn't even text me first.**

**Mai: No good morning?**

**Mai: What's wrong with you today?**

**Mai: Why are you doing this to me, Zuko? What did I do wrong?**

**Mai: I didn't do anything wrong.**

**Mai: I don't know who you think you are.**

**Mai: You don't own me Zuko. Don't expect me to follow you around like a puppy dog.**

**Mai: You're such a jerk sometimes.**

**Mai: Are you mad at me?**

**Mai: Geez, I'm sorry. I'm just really upset because you haven't gotten me anything yet for Valentine's Day.**

**Mai: Call me. **

Zuko sighed, scratching his head. "What's your opinion on Mai?"

Katara laughed, not believing what he was saying. "It's about time you asked your friends for their opinion. I'll say this for the entire group- Toph, Aang, Sokka, Suki, and I- we all hate her." She said firmly, relieved that he finally asked for her opinion. _At least h knows how we all feel about her. I don't trust her as far as I can throw her._

Sokka nodded affirming Katara's statement, before turning around to look at Zuko. "She's bad news, Zuko. You hardly talk to us anymore, because she always makes you sit with her scary friends. And you can never come over anymore, because you're always busy. I don't trust her at all, Zuko."

Zuko hunched up his shoulders defensively, not expecting such negative feedback. _I love Mai, and they just don't know her like I do. They're wrong. _"Her friends are really nice. I love Chan and Jun and all of her friends. And excuse me for hanging out with my girlfriend on the weekends. Besides, what do you guys know about love?"

Katara let out a strange, strangled laugh. _What do I know about love? I know what it's like to have someone die for you. I know what it's like to have a woman barely supporting herself take you in with open arms. _"What do you know about love, Zuko?"

The car was silent for the rest of the trip.

Zuko shuffled through the rustic old school, pondering over Katara's words. He saw Mai waiting for him, sitting poised in a dark corner. But he was busy and too deep in thought to care. _What do I know about love? _For once, he had noticed the tone in Katara's voice. He didn't understand it or know what it meant, but he recognized it. Sometimes, his mother used to talk like that, when she was telling a story or when Zuko asked about her parents. Of course, that was before she disappeared.

Feeling a tug on his arm, he turned around and saw a melodramatic Mai clinging onto him. Grinning halfheartedly, he hugged his girlfriend. "I got all your texts. I just didn't have my phone out until the way to school. It's a lot easier to hear a cell phone ring in a car than a shop." He explained, wondering why he was apologizing.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Oh, I forgot you worked for your Uncle. Doesn't he have bakery or coffee shop or something? _The Emerald Dragon_, right?" The slender girl guessed, getting all of the facts wrong unintentionally. _It's not like I really care about his Uncle's job. Why on Earth would I?_

Zuko's eyebrow twitched in irritation. "It's a tea shop, Mai. It's called the Jasmine Dragon. I've taken you there before, haven't I?" He asked, annoyed with her ignorance. _Why doesn't she care about it? The Jasmine Dragon is a big deal for me and my family. _"But Katara works in a bakery. She makes some really good stuff."

Mai rolled her eyes, angered by the thought of Katara. _He still talks about her? What's so great about a girl that can barely drive? _"I bet her food is just _peachy._ In fact, we should stop by after school just to taste test. Does she even drive herself, to school I mean? She seems like she's pretty _young._" She gritted out, spitting venom with every word.

Zuko, a little annoyed by Mai's attitude with Katara, got defensive. "Actually, she does drive herself to school. And she picks me up from the _Jasmine _Dragon, and takes me to school with her. Not that you'd know. She's actually a great driver." He said, crossing his arms. _Katara's my friend. Am I not allowed to have friends anymore?_

Mai's eyes widened, and then narrowed into slits. Disgusted, she scowled at Zuko. "She drives you to school? Why didn't you tell me that a little whore was taking you to school?" She half talked, half yelled. _That little wench shouldn't be taking him anywhere. She's probably putting out for him every day. _

Zuko's mouth dropped in disbelief. "Don't you ever call her a whore again, Mai! Katara is a great person and she's nicer than you will ever be!" He said, refusing to believe what Mai had just said. _Katara is not a whore! Katara is wholesome and good and everything that you aren't!_

Mai realized she'd have to use fake tears to get out of this one. Starting to sob, she flinched away from Zuko dramatically. "I can't believe you'd take her side, Zuko! You're supposed to protect me! Why don't you ever believe me?" She sobbed, effectively gaining sympathy from Zuko.

Zuko felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Katara wasn't a whore, but he didn't need to yell at his girlfriend. _Why can I never protect the people I love? _Hugging Mai, he started to apologize. "I'm sorry, Mai. I was wrong to not agree with you. You're my girlfriend, and I need to defend you. I believe you." He reassured the Goth girl.

Mai ceased her crocodile tears, grinning unbeknownst to Zuko. _It's so easy, it shouldn't even be legal. _Wiping the fake tears off of her face, she stepped out of Zuko's grasp. "I guess it's okay, Zuko. It's not your fault that you can't always be there for me. Sometimes I guess I'll have to be alone…" She trailed off, sniffling with every word. "I just don't trust Katara alone with you, okay? I know you can't always be there for me, but please stay away from Katara for me." Begging, she pretended to check the time on her phone. "I-I have to go."

Katara watched the video on her phone, rage building. Toph was standing beside her, staring wordlessly at her friend. "I was watching them, and I started videotaping it when they started talking about you. I knew you'd want to see it." She said, watching her friends face grow red and her eyebrows crease.

Katara's eyes darkened, listening to the recording. She watched the behavior; and she watched the words spill out of Mai's mouth. Katara had grown up with sketchy people, and she knew a manipulator when she saw one. "You know what she's doing, right? She's making herself seem innocent. She's putting all the blame on Zuko so that she can get him to stop talking to me!" She said in disbelief.

Toph nodded, already knowing what Katara was saying. Everyone already knew that Mai was a jerk, but this was crossing the line. And Toph knew that Zuko would go along with it. "We need to stop her, Katara. I don't know how, but we need to stop this crap. Because what she's doing to Zuko right now is bullshit." She said confidently, in her Toph way. Texting Aang, she glanced up at the enraged Katara. "You can't beat her up, Katara."

Katara's entire person looked like she'd been struck. "What do you mean?" She asked cautiously, hoping that Toph didn't truly know what she was talking about.

Toph raised an eyebrow. _Just because I'm deaf and colorblind doesn't mean I'm stupid. _She knew the way that Katara slinked off, and she recognized the posture and stature Katara took when she was in a flight of fight situation. When you added the mysterious and horribly hidden bruises that sometimes canvassed Katara's face or forearms, it was as plain as day. "You think I'm here to judge what you do? I _wrestle_, Katara. I have no space to judge anyone else. But Mai isn't just some girl, and she has some serious skill. I've seen her throw those knives. You can't just go after her."

Katara blinked several times, still in shock over whether or not her secret had somehow gotten out to Toph. _Just take it easy. She's right, though. I can't just kick Mai's ass. She has a good half foot on me, and she throws knives like a boss. _"What should we do?"

Toph shook her head. "You think I know? I just don't want them to last. They're about as good for each other as you'd be for Aang. **(A/N: If you go for canon ships, then that makes sense!) **I think you should watch out, Katara. I don't trust her at all."

Zuko walked quickly into the quaint little bakery, shifting his eyes nervously. Finding Katara, her walked over to and leaned over the counter to her. "I can't talk to you anymore, Katara. And you can't give me a ride to school anymore." He said, hoping that Mai would not pick today to seek out Katara.

Katara looked at Zuko, his face suspiciously close to hers. _He doesn't mean to be this close, Katara. Focus on his words. _"It's because of Mai, isn't it? You're giving me up for her, aren't you?" She asked stone faced, waiting for his answer. She didn't want a maybe, or a long answer. By now, all Katara wanted was to be told whether to stay or go.

Zuko scratched his head and looked away. "It's just complicated, Katara. I've let her down so much lately, and this is something she wants me to do. We've gone out for over a year, and I owe her this much. I guess that-"

Katara slapped him. Not very hard, just enough to get him to stop talking. "You're so in over your head you can't even see it, Zuko! You haven't let her down at all. You haven't let anyone down." _Except for me, you've let me down. _"And you've gone out for two months. She's _using _you, Zuko. Why can't you see that?" She shook her head, not understanding his motives.

Zuko frowned and fought the urge to slap her back. "We were going out for over a year before we broke up, and we're going out now so we've been going out for a long time. This is a serious relationship, Katara. I love her and I trust her and she's not using me. And how would you know that I haven't let people down? Why is it that you think you know me?" He asked, getting angry. _Why does she pretend that she knows me?_

Katara's blue eyes flared. "How are you so dense, Zuko? Why are you so oblivious and _stupid _sometimes? I saw a video of you guys today. She called Iroh's _tea_ shop the _Emerald _Dragon. Why do you trust someone that doesn't know you? She doesn't care about you!" She screamed, furious.

That was the last straw for Zuko. He saw red, and all he could think about was what she had said. _She doesn't care about you! She doesn't know you! Why do you trust her! _The kickboxer's voice echoed through his head. "Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" He roared, clutching his head.

But Katara was past the point of no return. She was like a wave- when the tide pulled her; she crashed deafeningly to the shore. "Mai isn't going to be there for you, Zuko. She doesn't trust you and she makes all of your choices for you. Why do you let her order you around? You're like her dog!"

Out of nowhere, a fist flew towards Katara. She saw it as it neared his face, and her blue eyes widened to saucers. Normally, a hit this fast would have hit her, but her adrenaline from the screaming match saved her nose. Catching the punch with one hand, the impact still threw her off of her stool. Landing on the ground, she heard a decisive _crack! _in her wrist. Wincing, she knew it was broken. _Better than a broken nose. _Standing up with shaky knees, she looked at Zuko.

Zuko stared in horror at Katara. She had been screaming at him, and he tried to punch her. He heard the crack when she fell, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from the bulge popping out of her wrist. Terrified, he looked at Katara. "GET OUT!" She screamed, making him run out of the store. _What have I done? What have I done? _Listening outside of the open door, he sank to his knees. _I promised I wouldn't hurt her. _

Katara cried like a child. Not because it hurt- it wasn't the first time a bone had been broken. But Zuko had hurt her. Finally looking at her wrist, she shrieked in horror at the lump at her skin. Hyperventilating, she forced herself to take her other hand and pop it back into place. Feeling the _pop_, she screamed in agony again. _Why did this happen? Why couldn't I shut my mouth? Why did he hit me?_ Curling up, she cried until there was nothing left inside her.

Zuko closed his door behind him and hit the floor. _What did I do? _Hearing heavy footsteps, he looked up at Iroh. "Iroh, what did I do?" He choked out, ashamed with himself. "I hurt Katara, Iroh."

Iroh stepped back, surprised by what his nephew was saying. "Do not worry, nephew. Mistakes are always made. I'm sure that you didn't mean to. Sometimes feelings get hurt. Emotions are swirling things, always hurting the owner." He advised wisely, not knowing what exactly had happened.

Zuko rose angrily, shaking his head. "I didn't hurt her feelings, Iroh. I hurt _her._ I tried to punch her and she fell and there was a crack and-"

Iroh silenced the angst filled boy, a bit scared. "It can be forgiven, nephew. You must forgive yourself before anyone will forgive you."

Zuko shook his head and ran outside, taking out his phone, he found Mai's contact.

**Zuko: I'm never talking to Katara again.**

**Mai: That's more like it.**

**Zuko is such a mean person! How dare he hit Katara? I'll give him a tiny bit of slack though- Katara was screaming some pretty offensive things at him. But what is Katara supposed to do now? AGHHHH**

**I see a make up I their future.**

**R&R Peaches!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**So I keep seeing these dark skies commercials and they are terrifying. I'm sorry, but I don't do scary movies.**

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

Katara sat on her bed and stared at the soft cast she had fished out of her closet. She had put it on her wrist thirty minutes ago, and now just sat and stared at it. She remembered exactly what she had said to Zuko and how she had said it, and in no situation could she imagine him hitting her, or trying to. _People don't just hit other people. _She had a feeling that Zuko wasn't going to talk to her from now on, especially because the reason he had came into the bakery was to tell her he wasn't going to talk to her. _I guess Mai wins after all._ What was she going to do with fighting? This wasn't going to work. Texting with one hand, she told Kyochi that she had fallen and broken her wrist. _That'll keep him off my case. _

Waking up, she eyed her alarm clock dubiously. _Who do you think you are alarm clock? You can't just tell me when to wake up. _Realizing there wasn't much she could do with one hand, she settled back to sleep. _Five more minutes…_

Well, Katara slept in more than five minutes. Seeing the time, she scrambled recklessly out of bed. Grabbing yoga pants and a sweater, she rushed out of the house. _At least I don't have to pick up Zuko anymore. _Thinking about him, she shook her head. _Don't even think about him anymore. He's over for you, Katara. _

Jet woke up Mai and threw Mai her clothes. "There ya go, babe. We have to get to school." He reminded her, pulling a shirt over his head and ruffling his hair. _Mai is so hot. _Looking at her, he smiled. "Or we could stay here and have some fun." He suggested, twirling her hair in his fingers.

Mai smiled slyly. "That's an idea. We'll go to class later." She said, taking the shirt back off of Jet.

Katara frowned slightly, noticing that Zuko wasn't with Mai. She'd been stealing peeks at him, and Mai hadn't been here all day. Neither was Jet, which was always a perk. He was in her English class, and she was relieved not to have the looks from him today. He always sat with Mai, Zuko, and the harsh seeming Goth kids at the back of the classroom- even though he was extremely popular and a jock. Seeing a door open, she turned her head to see Mai and Jet walking in to the school. She wouldn't have thought anything of it, if their faces weren't red and their hair wasn't screwed up.

Because red faces and messed up hair usually means people were making out. And that made Katara's head snap around. _Mai's cheating on Zuko. _No one else seemed to notice how close to each other they were walking, or how much eye contact they were making. No one else seemed to be realizing that Jet sat at the table with Mai because they had a thing, or that he had been sitting there for the entire year.

Katara was so surprised she didn't notice someone was walking towards her until they knocked her over. As they apologized, she mindlessly nodded. _I was right, Zuko. I was right to not trust her. _Seeing Zuko, she started to walk over and tell him, before she looked back down at her cast. _Oh, right. He showed me who he really was. I guess he can figure it out on his own. It's not like he'd believe me anyways. _

Getting to her class, she wondered if what she was doing was right. _I don't owe it to him to tell him, but maybe I still should. Maybe I should get him out of that. But then again, maybe I shouldn't have a broken wrist. _Katara didn't care if Zuko was held down forever by that girl. He had made his choice.

Zuko decided to sit at the table with his friends, ignoring the '_are you stupid' _looks from his girlfriend. _I just want one last day with my friends, and then I can go. _Seeing Katara near the table, he winced at the sight of her cast. Listening to Sokka ask her what happen, he saw her eyes shift quickly, so quickly it was almost undetectable, to him. He heard her give a crappy explanation of how she wasn't looking and she slipped on some ice outside. Confused, he kept silent. _Why is she covering for me? I don't deserve that. _Seeing Mai motion to him, he grabbed his lunch and left. _I guess I'll never know why, because I'm never talking to her again. _

Katara stared at her wrist uncomfortably, relieved that Zuko finally left. _How long can I last with this huge secret? _Well I've survived over five years of kickboxing. _Toph knows, and so does Kanna. _You can do it. _Do I want to? _Trying to fight the inner conflict, she grinned and laughed. "Did you guys see that commercial with the alien baby?

Toph kicked a rock on the sidewalk, walking home alone. According to Google, there weren't even twenty thousand people in her town. Everyone knew everyone. It was really annoying to Toph, who was experiencing a serious case of wanderlust. She'd do anything to get out of her sleepy little city where it rained or snowed every other day and it was freezing most of the year. _I'll turn into an ice cube if I try to walk home again. _Passing by an alley, she saw flickers of movement and flashes of skin she swore she recognized. Looking in, she couldn't believe what was happening.

Mai and Jet were making out. Hiding behind a wall, she hurriedly turned her phone to video. Turning it on and hiding it in her pocket, she turned around the corner to get proof and bumped into two very angry faces. She felt herself pulled against a wall, and felt a tug in her jacket sleeve. Looking, she found herself pinned to the wall by knives. _Where did those even come from?! _Moving her arms out to try to dislodge the knives, more knives were thrown to completely pin down her arms. "Hey guys, it's crazy seeing you here." She said, smiling as if she wasn't trapped.

Mai narrowed her eyes but smiled a bit when she saw that one of her knives had pierced flesh. Flicking another hidden weapon in to her hand, she sauntered over to the annoyingly fearless girl pinned to a wall. "You didn't see anything today, did you wench?" She asked, lowering her voice.

For some unknown reason, Toph found it a perfect time to laugh. "Believe me girl; there are things that hurt more than a knife. What's going to keep me from telling everyone that I was right? You're cheating on Zuko with Jet." She said, praying that her video was still on. "You can threaten me all you want; I'm not very scared of you at all. I'm more scared of what I can do to you."

Jet laughed before walking up to Toph. "It's a shame you never came on to me, Toph. You're pretty spunky, little bit. I bet you'd be great in bed." Tracing his hand down her silhouette, he felt her kick him in the groin. Snarling, he tried to shrug it off. "Speaking of beds, Katara is pretty good in one. Even though she was drugged out of her mind, she was pretty good. And I have some hot pictures to prove it."

Toph's mouth opened, in shock. _No, that can't be true. I can't let him ruin Katara's life, she's my best friend. _"I don't believe you, Jet." She stated, with much more confidence than she actually felt. As she watched him smirk and open his phone, she felt her stomach drop and she wanted to melt away. As he flipped his phone over, she felt awful.

There were definitely pictures. There were pictures of Katara doing things that she would never, ever do with Jet had it not been for that beer and those pills. They were embarrassing and humiliating and Toph knew that Katara's reputation would be ruined if those got out. She tried to imagine what it would be like if the entire school got those pictures. Girls would whisper about her as she walked past, and she'd get calls from boys at three o clock in the morning. She'd get anonymous hate mail and have things written about her on her locker.

Toph's colorless eyes sneered at the two teens in front of her. "Fine, I won't tell anyone about it. But that doesn't mean you guys are getting away easy. When Katara hears about this, she's going to beat your ass."

"And they just laughed when I said it, Katara. They laughed at it and left me _pinned to the freaking wall._ As soon as I got free, I came here."

Katara held her head in her hands, not sure what to do. Toph had just shown up at her house in tattered clothes, scared out of her mind. She had explained what happened, and Katara couldn't really believe it. _I knew they were cheating, but why bring Toph and into this?_ "I'm going to tell Zuko."

Toph snapped her head up, confused. _She's a lunatic, I knew it all along. _"You are an idiot, Katara. You realize that they'll send the entire school very inappropriate pictures of you? Katara, you guys got to third base. You really want that passed around the school?"

Katara shrugged, thinking of all the embarrassing and humiliating things she'd done lately. _It can't really get any worse, can it? I might as well make someone happy._ But touching her cast, she doubted her decision. "Maybe I'll just talk to Mai. Maybe I can shake her up and get her to say something to me, you know? She probably won't listen or say anything, but it's a shot."

Toph rolled her eyes and moved her hair out of her face. "Can you just do me a favor, okay? Mai already hates you, and you're going to confront her. Bring a knife or something. I know you're supposed to be all hardcore, but this girl's a nutcase." Worrying for her best friend, she hugged her quickly. "Just be careful, Katara. You always rush into these sorts of things, and you'll get hurt if you don't plan this out."

Katara smiled and laughed. "You're so crazy Toph. You know I would never do anything that would get me into danger on purpose. I'm pretty safe, if I do say so myself." Taking out her phone, she sent a few texts.

**To: Zuko Mai**

**Katara: meet me at the Plywood factory off of Marine. It's time this is over.**

Mai raised her eyebrows and smiled. _It's about time this girl gets what's coming to her. _She put on a shirt and woke Jet up. "Babe, we need to find my knives."

Zuko saw the text on his phone, but ignored it. _She's probably just being dramatic as usual. I'm sure she can just say it tomorrow. _

Walking into the vacant plywood factory lot, Katara shivered. The factory had been closed years ago, but the piles of logs were still sitting out there. Other than a few piles of wood, it was a flat gravel lot. It was one of those rare days that it wasn't raining, but the wind was whipping ferociously. The wind was almost never this strong; it screeched eerily through the empty space. Zipping her jacket up quickly, Katara fiddled with the switch knife in her pocket. _Just in case._

Mai walked through the place, eying every little bump in the dirt. _She's picked a good place. If there's anywhere where she'll have an upper hand, it's here. _Except for a few log piles, there were no walls or places to hide or ambush. Katara was ready to confront Mai, and she didn't want any hiding. _We'll do it your way, Katara. But you won't like how it's gonna turn out._

Katara noticed the cocky gait of Mai walking aimlessly through the lot. She had looked at Katara several times and was still not walking towards her. _Figures, I have to come to her. _Moving the switch knife in her pocket nervously, she walked over to Mai. _Where are you, Zuko? _Trying to be calm, she walked over the Goth girl. "You know exactly why I'm here, Mai. Who do you think you are?"

Mai batted her eyelashes, feigning surprise. "What do you mean, Katara? You aren't talking about Zuko, are you? Because if you are, I hope you got the rest of the message. Jet and I are one hundred percent ready to leak pictures of you all over the school." She said thinking of all of the small, sharp knives concealed in her jacket.

Katara's entire frame was hit by a gale of wind, making it that much harder to focus. "I don't really care, Mai. If you want to do that, then screw you. But I'm telling Zuko." Her hair whipped in front of her face, slapping her cheeks. Mai seemed to be faring fine in the gusty weather, unfazed by the wind.

Mai's face contorted in rage. _This isn't how it's supposed to go. She's supposed to follow my rules. She's supposed to be scared. She isn't supposed to do this! _Angry, she balled her fists. "You're not going to tell him. That's a very bad idea."

There was a part of Katara terrified in the tone of Mai's voice and the redness in her face. But she knew Mai had crossed a line, and Katara needed to put a stop to it. She was aware that she had a cast on her arm and Mai had a weight advantage. But that had never stopped her before. "I'm telling him what you're doing."

Mai screamed and took out a knife. There was nowhere to throw it towards now, but she just would have to wait. _Make her run towards a wall. _She saw the girl's eyes go wide and he legs start moving. Chasing after, Mai tried to herd her towards a log pile. Feeling her speed slow down, she pushed past. Her sides ached, and her lungs burned. _Just a little farther and you have her. _They were sprinting towards a log pile, and she flicked the knife into her hand. Waiting until the right moment, she flung the knife at Katara.

Katara was running hard. She could hear Mai's breathing on the back of her neck, but she had a feeling she was going to make it. Nearing a log pile, her adrenaline screamed that maybe, somehow, she could use it to her advantage. Getting closer to it, she felt something tug her jacket hard. Colliding with the log pile, she turned towards Mai and found a dagger sticking out of her jacket. Looking at it curiously, she saw the other knives soaring towards her and shrieked.

Mai could calculate every second and every movement Katara made. She knew she'd flinch, and she caught her perfectly. Pinned down was Katara's shoulders and wrists, and Mai had her right where he wanted her. "Going to rethink your decision to snitch yet, kid?"

Katara looked at Mai and laughed. _I've been in wore situations than this. She can't do much of anything without someone getting worried and calling the cops. _Though she was pinned down by a potentially violent girl, she didn't feel scared at all. "Give it all you got, Mai. I'm telling."

But Katara had misjudged Mai far more than Mai had misjudged Katara. Mai _needed_ to know what Katara was going to do, and she was being irritatingly unpredictable. It wasn't part of Mai's plan; and Mai didn't know how to control Katara. Manipulating wasn't working, and neither was intimidation. There was no way she was going to compromise with the girl. There was absolutely nothing Mai could do.

She screamed. Taking out another life, she brought it close to Katara's face. "Give it all you got? You want me to give it all I got? I can definitely do that." She said, slicing daintily at Katara's cheek. Drawing a small amount of blood, she moved around the knife in her hands. "I'm an expert, really. It's scary what I can do with one of these things."

Feeling the blood go down her cheek, Katara began to panic. Normally, this would be an easily controllable situation. But Mai had gone off the deep end. Watching her warily, she saw Mai get a crazy grin on her face. As she picked up her hands, she rolled up the girl's jacket sleeves.

Mai saw the tell tale lines tracing Katara's wrists. A few small white scars were on her wrists, and Mai didn't have to guess what they were from. "Look what we have here, a little miss cutter! How cute; you must be so misunderstood." Taking out her knife, she drew more blood. Seeing Katara trying not to gasp, she punched her in the stomach. "Don't worry; you don't have to think about holding it in."

Katara thought of the craziest, stupidest thing she could do. _Maybe if I get her mad enough she'll slip up._ Knowing that it would probably mean a lot more pain in the immediate future, she spit at Mai's feet. "I'm sorry, what were you saying? I got bored with your little monologue."

Mai was furious. _Why is this not going according to plan?_ Taking her knife, she smoothed it over the palm of her hand. "You know, he's never going to love you. No matter what you do for him, he'll never appreciate you. He's not going to want you." She said calmly, walking towards Katara.

But her guard was down. Katara had been ignoring the words Mai had said, and instead tested the weight the knives could support. When Mai started walking over, Katara had to wait for her to get close enough to her. Then, she swung her leg up, knocking the knife out of her hand. Seeing Mai's angry look, she raised both legs to her chest and shot them straight out. Catching Mai in the chest, Katara knocked the wind out of her. Getting out of her zipped jacket, Katara noticed Mai getting up. _Just a little more work, Katara. Then you're free. _Getting out, she found herself face to face with a very angry Mai.

_This little no name is beating you at your own game. _Mai's mind was going haywire. So many controlled variables had somehow slipped away from her, and she was left with a girl that was beating her. Feeling a knee come into her stomach, she grabbed it and brought Katara to the ground. _The girl's bleeding. I can out last her. Once she loses enough, then she'll be too slow to keep up. _Pinning the lighter girl with her knees, Mai sat back on the girl. "You aren't getting away that easy." Feeling the sharp wind hit her, she saw a tattoo on Katara's waist. "Look what we have here! I also like permanent reminders on skin. Do you want another one?" Fighting against the struggling girl, she moved up her shirt. Taking a new knife out of her jacket, she traced an _M_ onto Katara's hip. Tracing it over and over, she began to see dark red come out. Tracing it again and again, she listened to Katara's screams. Turning around, she leaned in close to Katara's face. "I'm going to make one thing perfectly clear. You will never tell Zuko anything. Think this was bad? It's going to be ten thousand times worse if Jet sends these to people. What would Zuko say? Jet could send them to colleges and blacklist you. What would your parents think?" Eying the necklaces that were constantly on Katara's neck, she smiled. "Oh wait."

Katara would have screamed and fought her. But she'd lost so much blood, and she almost never fought people with weapons. This was not her style; it was Mai's. She'd lost and they both knew it. _It's time to give in. _In her head, she had always known that she couldn't tell Zuko. _It's time to let him go. _Feeling her cast with her fingers, she let out a defeated sigh. "I won't tell him Mai. I promise that I won't."

Mai smiled. "That's good, I'm glad you see it my way." Sticking a knife into Katara's cast and sweater, she left her there. _It's about time that she went down. She was an absolute idiot._

Katara didn't get up that day. She was so very tired, and the ground was nice and warm. It was a little sticky around her, but she couldn't really remember why. The more she thought about it, the more she felt the need to go home. _Maybe Kyochi will pick me up. _Picking up her phone, she went to her contacts. Annoyed, she got a voicemail. "Hey Kyochi, I'm sooooo tired. Is there any way you could pick me up? I'm at… uh… actually I forgot. There's a lot of wood around here, though. If you could pick me up, that would be just amazing." Hanging up, Katara watched the stars in a childlike fascination. She had always loved them, and they were so bright tonight. Seeing a shooting star, she giggled. "Is that you, Mom?" she yelled to no one in particular. Her mom would be a star. Bright and beautiful and up in the sky. As Katara slowly took the knives out of her jacket, it began to rain.

What a lovely feeling, rain was. As the first drop hit Katara's face, she laughed. Sticking out her tongue to catch a raindrop, she instead tasted metal. Sticking her tongue back inside her mouth, she felt a wave of sleep wash over her. _It's so funny to be all alone out here. I wish Zuko was out here with me. _Feeling another drop, then another drop, splash onto her cold face, she nestled into her jacket. As the rain began to pour, she heard someone's footsteps near her. Feeling someone try to jostle her awake, she pushed them away. As they picked her up, she realized that they were much warmer than the ground and nestled in. Hearing a deep voice, she was too tired to recognize whoever it was. As the rain poured down, it began to hit her harder and faster. _Why are they running? _As he was put inside a car, she groaned. "This isn't v-v-very warm." In fact, everything was cold. The air was cold, and she was cold. She felt the person trying to shake her and keep her awake, but it was so cold. _Is this what it's like to die? _

Maybe she'd see Mom.

**Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwww!**

**This might be one of my favorite chapters. I have no idea why, but I like it. Not really the whole Mai part, but I don't know. Ignore my useless banter. I need so much work, and so does this fanfic.**

**Speaking of work, I had to redo this entire chapter. I had written it out, then realized that I didn't like the way it went at all and it made a huge plot hole. So I redid most, if not all, of it. Oh well, it's all in a day (or two's) work. **

**R&R! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Hey guys! You know what's crazy? We're about halfway done with this story. Sob. But I'm so glad you guys are still here. Still giving great feedback, thanks so much. I think that you guys are more important than you realize.**

**Like every single chapter, this one's for you. **

_We see water as a calm element, easily adapting to problems and a key factor in our lives. We perceive it as predictable and soothing. But this is the brighter side of water. The same element brings death and destruction, in the form of tsunamis. Water is a raging force, with tide predictions fluctuating and mainly inaccurate. Water is independent, with the abilities to put out fires, soil land, and mist the air. We see air as the element of freedom, but no one can own the sea. There are no lines in the ocean, because the water is too fickle and uncontrollable to be tamed and mastered. No, water is not soothing. Water is a powerful beast, passing off as a beautiful, settled masterpiece._

As Katara woke up, she was in a room she didn't recognize. There were bandages on her body and tea on her bedside. Trying to remember exactly what happened, she checked her phone for clues. Seeing eighteen new messages from Mai, she opened them. Disgusted, she found pictures of herself doing unimaginable things. This was a lot more serious than Katara had imagined. She thought they had just made out or something; but they got a bit farther than that. They got far enough that there would be awful consequences if those got out.

Remembering how she got the cuts on her body, she winced at the memory. Curious to see how bad they were, she moved the gauze away from her wrist. Seeing that it had mostly closed up, she realized that it was going to turn into another scar on her wrist. _Oh God, someone saw those scars. _Grabbing a hand mirror, she took off the bandage on her face. It had become a scar already; a pale white line running parallel to her eye. It wasn't too awful.

Too afraid to look at what was underneath the white bandage on her waist, she wriggled out of the foreign bed. Finding most of her clothes set out in a chair beside the bed, she realized that they were bloody and they wouldn't do at all. Looking down at what she had on, she wondered how she got into a baggy tee shirt and her boxer shorts. Finding a brush, she tried her best to untangle her incredibly long hair. Walking out of the room, she began to get her bearings. Holding onto a banister for support, she walked with her wobbly legs down the carpeted stairs.

Turning around a corner, she walked into a pastel yellow kitchen. Placing her feet on the cold stone tile, she looked around for the owner of the house. No one seemed to be home, so she opened the fridge and grabbed some food. Setting it down a table, she looked out a window. The rain was still pouring outside; hitting the tin roof with a resounding _pitter patter. _The sky was grey, and the barren trees outside were getting shoved around by the wind.

Hearing a door open and slam, Katara slinked down in her chair and looked down at her cereal. Instantly, the soggy food was immensely interesting. Swirling the food around with her fork, she didn't dare look up at the person that was undoubtedly staring at her. Keeping her hair in front of her face, she stabbed her Cheerios. Not saying anything, she heard the person's shallow breathing and the sound of his shoes tapping impatiently on the black and white tile. _What does he want me to say? _Picking up her bowl, she began to walk to the sink. Feeling a sharp jerk, the glass bowl drooped to the ground and shattered. She just looked at her wrist, being held upwards. She didn't want to see those blue eyes looking at her. _He wasn't supposed to know. No one was supposed to know. _

He looked at the girl trying to avoid eye contact with him. "You scream in your sleep."

Katara kept her head low. "I know."

Kyochi looked down at the girl avoiding his gaze. "Katara, what are these?" He asked impatiently, holding her wrist scars up. He had always been there for her and he had no idea when she got those. Somehow, he had never noticed them. But now they seemed huge and garish. _Not that I'll ever say that. _Nonetheless, he was pissed. "What are these, Katara?"

He kept yanking her arm and Katara was scared. They both knew what they were; they could both tell how she got them. But Katara had never talked about them before, and that's how she wanted to keep it- under wraps. "They're scars, Kyochi. Everyone has scars."

Kyochi frowned, annoyed at Katara's evasiveness. _She can't just pretend these things don't happen. You can't just pretend things don't exist. _Jerking her arm, he frowned. "I know that they are _scars,_ Katara. How did you get them?" He demanded, worried and nervous to hear the explanation she was undoubtedly going to tell.

But she didn't want to. _You don't really care, Kyochi. Why do you even want to know? It's none of your business_. "I don't want to talk about it, Kyochi. Not now and not ever." She said, trying to leave the house. However Kyochi was still holding her wrist, leaving her chained to him like a dog chained to a tree. "Let go of me, Kyochi!"

Kyochi held on tighter, not aware of how much he was scaring the girl. "Tell me now Katara or I won't let go." He said, on the line between threatening and promising.

Katara tried to find the right words. "Kyochi, you're scaring me and you're hurting me." She said, finally getting free. She cradled her wrist, patterned by an angry red hand clasped around it. Realizing how hard he was really grabbing her, she began to feel uncomfortable. "I have to go."

Kyochi sighed. "Katara, wait." He begged, trying to keep the girl from leaving. "Please don't go." Katara reached the door and opened it, not looking back.

Katara heard his pleas, but she was too scared now to say anything. "I have to get to school." She said, closing the heavy wooden door behind her.

Kyochi sighed and sat down on the ground. "I'm sorry."

Zuko saw Katara get to school in a baggy tee shirt and shorts. She looked like a wreck. _I wish I could talk to her sometimes. She looks like she needs someone to talk to. _Remembering that she had something to tell him, he walked over to her for the first time in a week. "Hey, what did you want to tell me? I saw the text, but I knew you wouldn't mind if we just talked today."

Katara laughed a little, shaking her head. "You saw it? Dang, I wish you were there." Seeing Mai watching them, she took a step away from Zuko. "Anyways, I just wanted to say that we should end this thing. If you can't talk to me, I guess we can't be friends anymore." Glancing at Mai, she continued her conversation. "We shouldn't talk anymore."

Zuko looked at her, confused. _I don't get it. Does she not like me anymore or something? I was really starting to miss that kid. _"Look, is this about our fight? I'm really sorry about what I did. I was tired and you were talking bad about Mai and I'm just sorry."

Katara shook her head, wondering why it took him a week to apologize. "Zuko, I don't even care about that. I just wanted to say that I'm not mad at you or anything, but I think I should respect Mai's decision and stay out of your business. And I hope that she can do the same." She said, hoping that Mai was listening well enough. _You win for now, Mai. But this isn't the end._ Wanting to hug Zuko, she fought the urge and waved goodbye instead. Taking out her phone, she sent a group text out.

**To: Sokka Aang Suki Toph**

**Katara: Emergency meeting at the old secret hideout. It's important. Skip class and get there now.**

**Sokka: Be there soon.**

**Aang: I don't agree with this. Skipping is wrong.**

**Suki: Okay, be there soon.**

**Toph: Damn it, I told you to be careful.**

Waiting impatiently, Katara looked around the old fort they had made. Back in the day they had all believed in magic and flying and powers. _Why can't be so simple now? _She remembered little bits and pieces of her childhood. _I was a mermaid, and Aang was always pretending he could fly. Zuko and Azula were on the playground and were our enemies. Suki wore that silly face paint and always carried fans. _Looking at the simple structure she was sitting in, she laughed. It was simple, really. Wooden planks made walls, and a tarp covered the top. They had painted the whole thing green; it was overgrown with ivy and plants. Impossible to find if you didn't know where it was. Hearing quick footsteps coming near, she saw people pile into the oddly spacious structure. _Why did we build it so big? We were tiny when we made it. _

Sokka walked into the concealed fort, muttering something about how glad he was that they opted for larger dimensions. "So what's so important that you made me miss my AP Architecture class? That's my favorite part of the day." He complained, taking a seat on the old bench. It wasn't like Katara to go here. She usually tried to forget about the past.

Katara scanned the entryway, looking for anyone outside. _Thank God we built the place so far into the woods. There's no one out here. _They had all had bikes, and therefore built the fort as for out as they could. "Mai is cheating on Zuko with Jet." She said, taking in a few gasps from her friends. "Toph found them making out two days ago, and told me. Yesterday, I went to… uh… talk to Mai at the Old Plywood Factory. It got pretty violent." Glancing at Toph, she hoped that she understood just how bad it got. "Kyochi fixed me up, so I'm fine. Aang and Suki, I know you guys don't know him. He's a great person. But anyways, Mai's got some serious stuff on me."

The group showed different emotions. Aang was seriously horrified at the idea of someone's infidelity, and it showed on his face. Toph was indifferent to the idea; after all she had known about the affair first. She was more worried about Katara- she had already noticed a tiny cut below her eye. Sokka was just worried in general, worried about his sister and worried about Zuko. Suki was just trying to take it all in, not quite sure that things like this really happened in reality. "So we can't tell Zuko?" Suki asked, confused.

Aang's grey eyes widened at Suki's question. "How could we not tell Zuko? His partner is cheating on him!" This went against everything the monks had ever taught him. Everything about this was wrong, immoral, and unheard of.

Toph fixed her bangs out of her glassy eyes. "Aang, of course we can't tell him. Mai and Jet have stuff that could, quite frankly, ruin Katara's life and her chances with Sparky." Seeing Katara's raised eyebrow, she shrugged. "Don't deny it. You guys are so hot for each other I can break the sexual tension with a knife."

Katara shook her head. It was usually best to just ignore whatever Toph said about her and Zuko. "Can we all just agree not to tell him? What they have on me is really awful, and it's worth not telling him for. I just thought you guys deserved to know." She said, hoping they'd understand. As she heard the pitter patter begin again on the tarp, she groaned. "Does it ever stop raining around here?"

Suki shrugged, looking outside the fort. "It's almost March. It always rains a lot in March. Actually, it never stops raining." She said, holding her hand out to catch the raindrops. "Look, I don't know what they have on you. And that's okay. I'm not going to tell him without you saying it's okay."

Toph nodded her head. "I agree with Suki. I know that they've really crossed the line with the blackmail. I guess that if this is the decision you're making, I agree. But I told you to be safe yesterday, you idiot."

Sokka hugged Suki and looked at the ground. "I'm not saying its right to keep this from him. But what you're talking about sounds pretty serious. What exactly does he have on you?"

Katara looked at Toph, hoping for any advice whatsoever. Seeing a slight nod of her head, she continued her story. "It was back at the beginning of the school year, when I invited Jet over at Toph's house. You know, the day we played seven minutes in heaven? Well afterwards, Jet and I went to get a drink. But I think he put something in mine, because afterwards I got all fuzzy. When I got off of it, we were in a… compromised position. And that's what they have on me. They have pictures of Jet and I doing things together, and they'll send it to the entire school if anyone tells Zuko." She said, voice wavering. Looking at an increasingly angry Sokka, she shook her head. "Do anything to him, and he'll send those pictures to everyone."

Sokka tried his best to control his temper. "You really shouldn't have told me that, Kat." Trying to keep calm and struggling, he looked hopelessly at Suki.

The purple eyed girl noticed all of the warning signs. She was never scared of Sokka; but she was scared of what he could do to other people. Taking his hand, she pulled him outside. Looking at Katara, she shot her a look. _It's okay. We're not telling anyone anything. _Pulling him through the trail, she took him far past the fort. Holding his face, she tried to calm him down.

"She's my baby sister, Suki. How could anyone do that to Katara?" Sokka asked, leaning against her shoulder. Feeling two slender arms wrap around him, he held Suki tight. "She's so little, Suki. She's so tiny. She's always been so small." He said, hugging Suki tightly. "I'm supposed to protect her."

Suki got on tiptoe and gave him a peck on the lips. "You aren't perfect, love. She knows how hard you're trying." Grabbing his hand, they began to walk home in the rain. "You do your best."

Sitting silently in the fort, Katara and Toph watched Aang leave the fort, and could tell exactly what he was thinking. _All of this is wrong. I condone, but this is wrong. _Seeing him slosh through the forest, Toph waited until he was out of sight. Then she snapped her head towards Katara. "There's something I have to show you." Taking her hand she walked out of the fort.

Katara was confused, but followed Toph through a maze of trees and vines. She had never gone this far into the forest; the trees had become different and much thicker. Finally reaching a point that seemed no different from the rest of the pines. She watched in fascination as Toph moved a moss covering over a latch. Looking down, Katara couldn't believe her eyes.

The latch led to an underground room. Toph went down a rusty ladder, and Katara followed. It was about 10 feet down, and Katara couldn't help but wonder when she built this. It opened into two small, ten by ten rooms with wooden beams to handle stress. It had a small bed, and little shelves dug out filled with cans and gallons of water. There was a large locked chest at the foot of the bed, and Katara could only imagine what was in them. Due to her height, Katara could stand straight in the rooms but had to avoid the lanterns hanging from the ceilings. "Toph… how did you build this?"

Toph smiled. "I made it back in the summer when I was ten. I think you were twelve. I was just sick of my parents, and this was perfect. I just felt like every day that I got closer to finishing it; I was farther away from my parents. When the room itself was finished, I moved in all of the supplies." Sitting down in a wooden chair in a corner, she pointed at the chest. "Know what's in there? More money than you've ever seen in your life. The whole thing is full of Benjamin's. Benjamin's and prepaid cards. If you wanted to, you could easily live out here for a year straight. And that would just be off the cans."

Her colorless eyes glimmered as she moved towards one of the many protruding crystals, a jade green. "These babies are my crème de crème. All it takes is one flashlight," she said, turning of the lanterns and turning on a flashlight, "And the entire place glows."

Katara's eyes went wide. Somehow, the crystals caught the light and reflected it across the room. The entire room shone as if it was a sunny day; it was the most amazing thing Katara had seen a long time. "This is beautiful, Toph. And these crystals are so green and gorgeous." She said, before realizing that Toph couldn't see the things that Katara could.

Toph smiled, used to it. "Its fine, I know that they're green. I'm not that dense. They're just nice t see, you know? When I was little, before my eyesight went downhill, my eyes were the most beautiful green color. I used to look at them for hours in a mirror. Not because I thought I was pretty, but my eyes were just so green."

Katara was mystified and confused. "Why did you take me here?" She asked, realizing she and Toph were out in the middle of nowhere. She didn't have her bearings and was hoping that Toph did.

Toph laughed, keeping her back to Katara. "I took you out here because here, no one will hear you scream." Dropping her voice low, she turned around with a creepy smile. "Nah, I'm just screwing with you. I took you out here because things are getting absolutely crazy on your side of the woods, and if worst comes to worst I want you to be able to come here. You've always got somewhere to go."

Katara wondered if it was really going to get that bad. But she was touched that Toph was doing this for her. "Thank you so much, Toph. I know this means a lot to you." She said, hugging her friend.

Toph smiled and hugged her back. "You just seem to be having a tough time lately. I'm not good at the whole affection thing, so I figured this was a start." Sitting down on the creaking bed, she pulled Katara down alongside her. "Tell me Katara, what's chasing you down?"

Katara laid her head low on Toph's shoulder, thinking of where to start. "Other than Mai and Jet planning to ruin my entire life?"

Toph undid her bun, letting a sheet of straight ebony hair fall down. "Yes, other than that. I sort of already knew about that little predicament. But there's more going on, isn't there?"

Katara brought her knees up to her chest, disappearing into herself. "It's just a lot of stuff at once, Toph. Are you sure you really want to know all of it? You don't have to be brought into all of it."

Toph shrugged, not really knowing what to say. Everyone always assumed that since she couldn't hear, she made a great listener. No one really gave her an option. Flicking her hair without a care, she thought about it for a second. Maybe that was why she was always rebellious. Everyone always wanted her to act a certain way. Because she was disabled, people forgot she was a person. "Of course I want to know, Katara. You're my friend."

Katara rolled her eyes, remembering how much younger Toph was than her. _She's so innocent, whether she knows it or not. She doesn't know the real world. _"It's alright, Toph. I have trouble talking about it anyways. Thanks for caring, though."

Toph kept her face from falling, smiling a fake smile. "I understand you Katara. Sometimes you aren't ready." Climbing out of the bunker with Katara right behind her, she thought about how closed up Katara was. She never talked about her problems or her past. Out of all of the people Toph had ever known, Katara was the only one that had never complained in front of Toph. _She has to know that's not healthy. _

Oblivious, Katara followed Toph out of the damp but lush forest. Everything had seemed to turn green while Katara and Toph were underground, in the little cave. _Everything is warming up now. Winter's over, and maybe I won't feel like I'm in the Pole again. _

Maybe things would get better now.

**R&R!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**What's this? I think it's a new introduction. I'm not really sure yet. Maybe you should read it and find out. **

_Fire is a direct symbol of passion, of lust. A fiery person is outspoken and brave. Sometimes fire can be misjudged; people are cautious of something so beautiful and mystical but burns to the touch. Fire spreads like a disease, consuming everything in its path. It devours and destroys, and can completely decimate a forest. But there is another side to fire. It warms people and cooks their food. Without it, human civilization could have simply not existed. It's two sided; like a double edge broad sword. A fickle and hardly constant thing; but you just simply cannot live without it._

_Curiosity leads to trouble._

_-Alice in Wonderland_

_It had been a perfect day for Katara and her Makuahine. Out on Kawaii Moku, the moana made huge waves perfect for nalu. 'O ia mau no, she walked with Kya out on the aina. They were going to the first day of the annual Makahiki, a month long celebration of the new years. Walking late into the ahiahi, Katara had long since a'o not to fall on a sneaky a'a. The best way to get to the festival was to walk on the beach; and she could see the aku jumping from yards away. Seeing a honu scratch onto the sand, she watched the holoholona in fascination. It's leathery skin and hard shell scraped against the soft grainy sand. _

_Smeeling the ikaika scent of an Imu, she squealed. "Are they making another Huli-huli, Makuahine?"_

_Kya smiled, pushing her long hair out of her face. "O anu, Katara. Me mau." Picking Katara up and putting her on her back, she let her undo her long braid. "Today is an Aha'aina Male. Today, a couple's pilialoha will become official and they will become one. It's the first one you're old enough to really go to."_

_Katara played with her mother's hair, feeling her own swish behind her. "Are they mo'I or lawai'a? I really hope they're lawai'a, because they always have more fun." Feeling the soft lewa flow past her face and out to the ocean, she hoped for a Kohala. "Makuahine, why are there never any Kohala?"_

_Kya sat down on the kahakai, sitting Katara down in her lap. "Kohala are special animals, Katara. They are the greatest gift of Kanaloa, and are sacred." Showing her the whale tooth on the necklace, she pointed out to moana. "If you see a Kohala, consider it a sign. They don't just come around for anything."_

_Katara smiled. "Where did you get that necklace, Makuahine? It's so pretty." The carved whale tooth was surrounded by blue beads, and was on blue hemp._

_Kya smiled. "Your father gave it to me when we got married. It was a promise before the male'ana. IT's pomaika'I for the couple if the man makes a necklace for his wahine male hou. This one hasn't failed me yet." Seeing the alanui that the festival was on, she pointed it out to Katara. "There it is!"_

_Katara squealed and ran towards the kaukau and ukuleles. She could see the chairs out, and could hear the sizzling of the pig. Seeing her Makuahine take a seat, she followed her lead. Watching a kahuna walk in front of two young villagers, she smiled. The two people were common faces to Katara; she saw them often down at the moana. Hearing the kahuna begin, she bowed her head with Kya. _

"_E ko makou makua i loko o ka lani,___

_E ho'ano 'ia kou inoa___

_E hiki mai kou aupuni;___

_E malama 'ia kou makemake ma ke honua nei___

_E like me ia i malama 'ia ma ka lani la.___

_E ha'awi mai ia makou i keia la, i 'ai na makou no neia la.___

_E kala mai ho'I ia makou i ka makou lawehala 'ana,___

_Me makou e kala e ii ka po'e i lawehala i ka makou.___

_Mai ho'oku'u 'oe ia makou I ka ho'owalewale 'ia mai,___

_(aka)___

_E ho'opakele no na'e ia makou i ka 'ino;___

_No ka mea, nou ke aupuni,___

_A me ka mana, a me ka ho'onani 'ia a mau loa aku.__  
_  
'Amene."

_The kahuna went on. "Tonight, the Aha'aine male will be performed, under the great mahina, to celebrate these two kama'aina's male'aina. They have already made their vows to each other, and the ritual has been completed. Tonight, with the full mahina and the high tide, I am here to say the No keia la, no keia po, a mau loa, these two are one. The male'aina is done!" A huge wave of applause and cheers came from the villagers. _

_Katara sat through the quick ceremony. She wanted to be eating and playing and dipping her feet in the moana, but she had to be here. It was part of her job as an ali'i, and she'd just have to deal with it. She knew that in a moment she'd be eating with her hoalohas and her ohana. Every ahi'ahi was filled with aka'aka, and the aina and moana was lani. _

_It was a perfect world._

Katara stared numbly down at her wrists. They were slender and tan; the color of light sandalwood. The dark consistency didn't ebb well with the white scars tracing up and down her inner forearm. They ran horizontal, like little strokes of a brush. _It had all gone so wrong. Every little dream and plan I ever had went so wrong. _

The only thing people ever cut in Hawaii was their hair; and that itself was a rare occasion. _Who is going to want a girl with ugly wrists? Who is going to accept me? _Katara thought about the different ways people would react if she told them everything. _Yeah, I kickbox and break bones now and then. Oh yeah, and I bring in most of the money for my family. And my mom died for me. _It wasn't even fair that the last one happened. She never asked for that from her. _Not like it mattered. _Her Makuahine was a saint, and would have done this for anyone.

But she had to do it for Katara. It had to be about her; her mother's blood had to be on her hands. But to Katara, bloodied hands weren't anything new.

Zuko walked along the street, drenched with the pouring rain. It rarely snowed in his town; it only rained and iced. As the cold little droplets soaked his sweatshirt, he looked inside at the people on the interior of the little shops he was walking beside. They were all nice and dry; and seemed to be happy. Most people did, anyways. It wasn't the best time of the year; but the people in this tiny little city always smiled and waved.

People took care of each other here. If something happened, you could expect meals and a place to stay. If you were new to a neighborhood, the neighbors made you a gift basket. There was a safety net here. Someone was always offering you rides, or a summer job, or anything else you could ever need.

It wouldn't be like that in college. To most people, college was spent drinking and partying and sleeping with girls they didn't know. Zuko wasn't really sure he wanted that. It was all fake and cliché, and extremely unappealing to him. He wanted to stay here forever, with his gloomy girlfriend and her scary friends. Well, not exactly her scary friends. But he didn't want to leave her behind. She was a junior, and didn't seem too rushed to find a college. She didn't seem rushed about anything at all.

Every huge decision they needed to make together "could wait." Somehow, she was always busy and "didn't have time to talk." It was really frustrating, and it bugged Zuko. He felt like something bigger was going on, but maybe he was just paranoid. Then again, she was quite controlling. He remembered what Toph said at the beginning of the year. "_He always lets his girlfriends walk all over him."_ And to a point, it was true. Sometimes he disagreed, though. He was a strong person, and he didn't have a problem telling people how he felt. _And look where it got you, Zuko. You hurt Katara. _He wanted to talk to her so badly. There was nothing that would make him feel better than to apologize to Katara. But that wasn't really an option with Mai's opinion of the girl.

He couldn't even talk to her anymore. Couldn't help her with her classes, couldn't let her drive him to school. It wasn't fair, and he was beginning to wonder what would happen if he talked to Katara anyways. _Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you. All you've done is hurt her. Just like Mom._

Scuffling through the icy streets, Katara noticed a recognizable figure walking through the city. Knowing what Mai would say and do if Katara even acknowledged Zuko; she kept her head low and avoided eye contact. Though she was in Zuko quarantine, it was hard not to notice the way he was fumbling with something in his pocket, his hair falling in the way of his eyes in a cute little way. _Stop it, Katara. You know what you can and can't do. And you definitely can't do Zuko, that's for sure. _

Zuko barely noticed Katara, who was keeping her head low and walking quickly. _She looks really cold, maybe she's trying to get somewhere warm. _Katara was in a thick blue trench coat and a knitted hat that made her thick curly hair puff out in an adorable way. _Get a grip, man. Mai would kill you for thinking that. _But she did look awfully cold. "Hey Katara, I didn't see you there." He said, his breath coming out of his thin lips like smoke.

Katara nodded slightly, still avoiding looking up at him. "Well, we do live in a small town. It's not hard to see people on the streets. South Laurel is a pretty big street anyways." She loved this street, and it was close to everything but her house.

Zuko cocked his head to the side. "But Katara, you live at least two miles from here. And I don't see your car anywhere near here. You must be freezing cold. Let's go to Albertson's, okay? Or maybe we could just go to my house. It's only a couple blocks away." Seeing how Katara was shivering, he opted for his house. "Come on, I'm sure there's food in my pantry."

Katara shook her head, but Zuko had already grabbed her hand and started walking. She was sure he didn't mean the gesture the way she wished that he did, but it was still comforting. He had big hands, with rough calluses on the fingers. They were clasping her own small fingers gently, in a way that gave her some great relief. Somehow, the action that gave her so much support was also making her uncomfortable. In a small town like this, it was impossible to do anything without someone you know seeing you. Taking her hand and stuffing it into her pocket, she burrowed her chin into her scarf.

Noticing how awkward he had made the situation, Zuko cursed himself. "Sorry." He mumbled, thinking about how stupid he was. _You don't just go around holding people's hands, Zuko. What would Mai say? _But then again, why should he care? Maybe he should man up and do what he wants.

Katara shrugged. "It's okay." She said, staring blankly at the ground underneath her. _Why does he have to lead me on like this? It's unhealthy for him and for me. _Her shadow bobbed up and down in the light of a streetlamp that reminded her that it was well past sunset. _How am I supposed to get home after this? Do I really want to walk two miles home? _Katara had done her homework, and the crime percentage in her town was higher than the national average, with a projected 1 murder, 28 rapes, and 19 robberies to happen in 2013- along with 52 aggravated assaults. _That's a lot of violence for a town with under 20,000 people. Maybe I should just ask for a ride home later. _Gah, this was going to be awkward. Considering that Zuko was an awkward person, it didn't seem to be a surprise. "Zuko, can you give me a ride home?" she asked softly, still timid after the hand holding incident.

Zuko nodded eagerly; glad that she wouldn't have to walk home. Uncle and he had just watched a news report on how the not-so-sleepy town had a crime rate well above national standards. For Katara, he'd drive that stupid, fancy car around town. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate his Ferrari; because Ferraris were beautiful. But it was just too much for him, too ostentatious. He wasn't that kind of guy. Approaching his house with Katara, he fished for his keys in his coat. "So what do you want to do, Katara?"

Katara laughed at Iroh's retelling of the time Azula was attacked by turtle ducks. "Azula, why on Earth did you throw huge globs of bread at them anyways?" Almost choking on her tea, she moved a pai sho piece.

Azula snickered. "I thought it was funny that they couldn't eat it. And apparently, mother turtle ducks get very mad at you for things like that. So they all attacked me!" She said, moving her own tile.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You should have seen her, Katara. She was flapping her arms like a crazy person and the ducks were _everywhere._ They were pecking at her hair and she was screaming so loud every single person on the estate stared."

Katara smiled at the thought. "Wow Azula, I thought you were supposed to be the calm, collected, evil one. Not the I-am-afraid-of-ducks and I-throw-large-chunks-of-bread-to-feel-joy kind of girl. I'm sort of surprised, but I can't say I didn't see it coming." She joked, realizing that she was going to lose the Pai Sho game.

Azula smirked as she made the killer blow to Katara's white lotus tile. "Yes, but at the end of the day, I am still a master at Pai Sho. So I will accept all of the embarrassing stories with my Pai So trophy." Seeing Katara's crossed arms in a sarcastic fashion, she gave the girl a side-hug. "Oh, don't you worry Katara. Some days, you're going to lose."

Driving home in a luxury sports car was much faster than walking, that was for sure. Filled up with a sandwich and tea, Katara had a small smile plastered onto her face. Hanging out with Zuko was just plain _fun_. Even with so much on the line, she didn't mind the danger to share a few moments with him. _At least now I know how to play pai sho._ Singing along to her favorite song on the radio, she failed to notice the way Zuko was smiling at her.

He didn't know why Katara seemed so perfect in this little moment. With her hair left down, braided bangs sticking out of her hat, and her bright blue eyes staring out onto the horizon, there was no one but her. Her decent but high rendition of _It's Time _by _Imagine Dragons _was echoing throughout the car. She was tan, even though everyone else in this town was white and pale and boring. Katara was _different. _

As the red car parked in Katara's driveway, she turned to thank Zuko for the food and the ride and found him staring at her. Not sure why, she stopped singing and stared back. There were no words exchanged between them, no sounds in the car other than the radio. As Katara opened her mouth to thank him, she felt something on her lips. Realizing that he was kissing her, she let her instincts take over and she kissed him back. As a familiar callused hand scooped the back of her head, she leaned into him and pressed a cool hand against his burning chest.

There were no thoughts, nothing at all. Zuko's closed eyes could still tell that she was against him, going in rather than pushing him away. Using his other hand, he held her waist to him and deepened the kiss. Feeling the coolness of her face, he took the opportunity to lean across the arm rest between them and take in all of her- her smell, her hair, her raw beauty. _Mai wasn't like this at all. _

And somehow, they both seemed to realize what they were doing at precisely the same exact moment. As Zuko sat dumbstruck, Katara sprang away from Zuko's warm, alluring grasp. For a millisecond they just sat there, staring at the other's disheveled appearance and their red cheeks and short breath. Katara's perfect hair was frizzy and her eyes were wide. "I have to go." She murmured, barely speaking loud enough to be heard. Dashing from the car, she ran quickly into her home. _What the hell just happened?_

Zuko sat speechless in his car. _What did I just do? Why did I just do that? _He knew what he had done, that's for sure. He had kissed Katara, for a very long time. But for the life of him, he couldn't understand _why._ He had a girlfriend who would kiss him and more whenever he wanted to do. So why did he feel the need to cross the very clear line with his best friend?

And why, when he kissed her, did he feel more alive and more complete than he had ever felt in his entire existence?

**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Oh my gosh okay I can't believe I had the nerve to just write that like oh my goodness I'm so happy. Guys this is so exciting for me I know I'm a complete dork and all but this fanfic is the best thing I've ever written!**

**Okay guys so I know a lot of you are going to have strong feelings towards this chapter so when you do feel free to tell me all about them and review!**

**R&R!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Hey guys! How are you doing? I'm doing great. I hope you guys are as happy as I am. **

_Fire is a direct symbol of passion, of lust. A fiery person is outspoken and brave. Sometimes fire can be misjudged; people are cautious of something so beautiful and mystical but burns to the touch. Fire spreads like a disease, consuming everything in its path. It devours and destroys, and can completely decimate a forest. But there is another side to fire. It warms people and cooks their food. Without it, human civilization could have simply not existed. It's two sided; like a double edge broad sword. A fickle and hardly constant thing; but you just simply cannot live without it._

_Comparison is the thief of joy._

_-Theodore Roosevelt_

Katara rushed up to her room, stunned. Locking herself in the room, she sunk to the floor in stunned silence. _What did he do? What did we do? _She wasn't going to lie; she was elated and amazed when Zuko kissed her. But it was _wrong,_ and Mai would kill her for doing it. That is, if anyone told Mai. Which Zuko wouldn't do, right?

Zuko. _Zuko._ Everything about their kiss was perfect. It was rash and bold and inappropriate and just the way it should have been. He smelled like tea, sandwiches, and the faint, welcoming smell of firewood. Who would ever have thought a city boy like Zuko would smell of firewood? And he was so _strong_, when he pulled her to him and held her tightly. The way he grasped the back of her head and wasn't afraid to kiss her like a man.

But it was such a mistake to kiss him back. There were no possibilities; there was no future for them. There was just this accident that had happened between them. _I can't ever be in a relationship with Zuko. That's just ridiculous… right? _She would miss that soft, warm caress that was already fading away in her memory. _Try to remember what it was like, Katara. Either that or let the boy go. _

Katara rubbed her temples, letting out a stressed groan. Why was this so complicated? _Friends kiss all the time; it's just a stupid thing that happens. Yeah, this is just a normal thing. I'm sure everything will be completely normal tomorrow at school. It will be just fine tomorrow and no one will ever know. _She looked up at her collage of pictures on her wall. Out of all of the smiling faces, a few showed the scarred teen. _We're not going to change anything. _

Zuko kept his head down, praying he wouldn't see Katara in the hallways of the school. Actually, he was praying that he wouldn't have to see anyone. He didn't even want to _be _here. There were too many people he didn't want to talk to; and there was one particular person he didn't want to see. _I can't handle those blue eyes. They're so piercing and bright. _He hit himself on the head for that one. _Why am I so bad at being good? _Just thinking about Katara made him come up with terms like 'piercing' and 'bright'. _What is wrong with me? _

Rushing at her locker, Katara kept her head low. Trying to be as invisible as possible, she was wearing her plainest sweater and leggings. Her hair was braided back, making it easier for her to look through her locker quickly. There was only one goal for this morning: make it to homeroom without seeing Zuko. He was a senior, so it was probable that he would be in the east hall of the school. But the school was tiny, and Katara had bad luck anyways.

Trying to look at the floor, she was completely unsurprised when she was jostled and knocked over. Controlling her anger, she mumbled something about how people need to watch where they're going. Looking at the person who knocked her down, she almost laughed when she realized it was Zuko. _Well isn't this just perfect. _

Zuko cursed himself while he held out an awkward hand to Katara. _Of course you bump into her. What else would happen, I actually get lucky and don't see her? _"Sorry." He said lowly, leaving his hand out to the girl struggling to get up on her own. _Why isn't she wearing her splint? She obviously still needs it. _Ignoring her rebellion, he grabbed her unhurt hand and helped her to her feet.

Katara took her hand and crossed her arms. "I don't need your help, Zuko." She said, stubbornly trying to leave._ What does he think this is going to accomplish? We only hurt ourselves when we're around each other. _Dusting herself off, she ignored the two golden eyes looking at her. _It's about time we say goodbye._

Mai wasn't good at waiting. Leaning on a locker, she was looking at her phone. _Meet at my locker at 9:00. _She was the only one in the hallway; everyone else in their first period. Seeing Zuko's lanky figure approaching her, she made sure her bra pushed up her boobs and she hoped her jeans were tight enough. "I'm glad you got my text." She said sultrily, walking her tall and slender form towards him.

There was nothing wrong with Mai, but Zuko was still comparing her to Katara. _Katara doesn't try as hard as Mai. Katara is happier than Mai. Katara is sexier than Mai. _

Was she? Mai and Zuko were already kissing, and Zuko decided that yes, Katara was sexier. Mai's kisses were too fast, like she was trying to skip straight to sex. They were in a hallway, for God's sake. It might be in a corner and away from classrooms, but where was the decency? The romance? Zuko wanted to love Mai, not just feel her up in a school. Mai was pressing herself up against him, moving one of his hands to her breast.

Zuko pushed himself away from her. "Mai, we're at school. Can't we at least try to keep it in our pants?" He joked, trying to joke around the fact that he didn't want to kiss her. Katara was much better at it anyways. _Mai goes fast, but she never puts energy into it. Where's her passion? _Knowing that comparing the two was wrong, he tried to stop himself to no avail. _Katara never throws herself on me. Katara isn't as slutty as Mai._

Mai frowned. "The whole reason I wanted to see you was to let out some of my _frustration_." She purred, making an emphasis to rub her hand down her body.

Zuko's eye twitched. There was no doubt that Mai was pretty. But she was showing off every little bit of skin possible. Her jeans were so tight and thin that you could see the exact shape of her thighs and butt, and her shirt showed off pretty much all of her cleavage. "Do you have to dress like that, Mai? I don't need to see that at school. All of the guys stare at you in the hallway."

Mai smiled and shook her hips. "What? There's no harm in showing off my assets. I thought you'd like it. Is it not good?" She said, once again making gestures towards herself._ It's not like I'm going to change it. Jet thinks it's sexy as hell. And what he thinks matters. _Sometimes she wondered why she was even with Zuko. He was great in the bedroom, but so was Jet. And Jet was rough and manly and everything Zuko wasn't. But in the world of politics, Zuko's father was the president- even if they didn't get along. And Jet was just a burnout who spends most of his time at protests and probably wouldn't get into college.

Zuko, unaware of the affair, shook his head. Even now, he still thought of Katara. With all of her sweaters and jackets and scarves and everything else that made her Katara. Why couldn't Mai dress like that? "Mai, I hate the way you dress. It's not like you." The more he thought about it, the less he liked the things Mai did. The way she dressed, the way she talked, the way she flirted with Jet and drew him closer than she should. Mai thought that he didn't notice, but he had caught on. _Maybe we aren't meant to be. _

He knew he should slap himself for thinking that, but he didn't want to. Mai didn't make sense to him anymore. She was distant and cold, even to him. She drew him close for a kiss, and then left before he could start a conversation. She never made it to their dates, but always seemed to make it to parties. She was out clubbing more than she was out with him. "Mai, are we… okay?" Zuko asked tentatively.

For a second, Mai's whole world stopped. All of her plans depended on this boy. After all, he was in love with her. Marriage wasn't too far away for them, and what would be incapable for the wife of the heir to America? She couldn't lose him, not after this. "Of course we are, Zuko. We'll always be okay. We're in it for the long haul, right? Forever isn't long enough, all of that crap." She tried, touching his chest. _What did that bitch tell him? _

Zuko could tell she was panicking, and decided to let it drop. "Okay, you're right. That was a stupid question and I'm sorry for worrying you. Of course we're fine. We're always fine." Lying through his teeth, he hugged her and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to head back to class." Walking far enough away, he ducked into a bathroom and took out his phone.

**Zuko: Hey, you busy tonight?**

**Katara: No, why?**

**Zuko: I need advice. And I need to apologize. **

There was enough drama in Zuko's life. Katara was his best friend, and he wasn't going to let one stupid decision get in the way of them. Besides, he was pretty sure Azula spiked their drinks anyways.

**Katara: Okay.**

**Zuko: Where?**

**Katara: Somewhere private? Is it a big issue?**

**Zuko: Yeah, it is. Want to meet at the park?**

**Katara: It's freezing outside!**

**Zuko: Oh… right…**

**Katara: Grab pizza at the old place? Seven? We could just ride around.**

**Zuko: Perfect.**

Katara sat outside Westside Pizza, tapping her foot. It was seven fifteen, and Zuko hadn't shown yet. Looking around, she finally saw his car approaching the pizza place. Picking up the box of pizza, she hopped into the car waiting for her. "One large pepperoni pizza. Where we going?" She asked, setting the steaming pizza in her lap.

Zuko smirked. "The park, of course." Eating pizza in the car with Katara seemed much more fun than partying with Mai, and he couldn't figure out why. "I really need to talk to you."

"Okay, shoot." Katara said, chewing on her first slice of pizza. _Let's just pray this doesn't end up like the last time we hung out. _"What's the problem?"

Zuko shrugged, gripping he wheel tightly as he turned into the park, completely empty. "I'm not sure if Mai and I are meant for each other. I just don't get her anymore. I feel like she's getting more and more remote lately. She never talks about her feelings, or her problems. What kind of girlfriend or boyfriend doesn't talk about their problems? That's just the basis of trust."

Katara blushed a little, glad the lights were off. Didn't he realize that _they _were sitting in his car, talking about problems and feelings? _They can't break up. Mai would assume I said something and then she'd hurt Toph. And probably me again. _"What's the problem? There are tons of reasons why you guys might be having a communication error. Maybe she isn't happy, or you aren't. Are you guys talking enough? You guys are a really solid couple, and you shouldn't break up." It was a total lie and it hurt Katara to say, but she had to do it. _I'm sorry, Zuko .I'm so sorry._

Zuko nodded, glad that Katara thought they should stay together. "I try to talk to her, and all she wants to do is make out. All she wants from me is sex. She doesn't really try to have a connection with me. I just want to be able to sit and talk with her, but she always ditches our dates. What should I do?"

Katara began to worry. _You can't break up with her, Zuko. Not now! _"You should just wait it out, Zuko. It's probably just a phase, or maybe she's PMSing. At least hold on until spring break- that's what, one or two weeks away? By then you'll know. You've just got to wait out the storm." She advised, almost believing it herself. Almost.

Zuko smiled, taking a piece of pizza. Katara was so full of shit. She wanted what was best for him, and she was trying to keep him happy. But she wasn't helping. This wasn't time for passive waiting, it was about action. Action is what keeps things interesting. And if life wasn't interesting, then why keep on living? "I'll do that, Katara. Spring break isn't far away at all. Are we still going down to Miami?"

Katara smiled. "Of course we are. There's way too many clubs for us not to go. Plus, the music is awesome there. And let's not forget the boys." She said nudging him.

Zuko laughed. "But it's like a five day drive. Are you sure we can? There's a lot of people going."

Katara frowned. It _was _a long way. "You, me Sokka, Suki, Toph, Ty Lee, and Aang are all the people going. Everyone else is busy. That's seven people- two cars, three or four each. Hell of a lot of gas, but it's worth it." _I could get airplane tickets, but that's a lot of money. That's our college tuition money. I guess we'll have to drive. _

Zuko nodded. Mai couldn't go, because her and her scary friends were all going to some death metal concert- along with Jet. "We're going to have so much fun. Where are we staying again?"

Katara thought about it for a moment. "We're staying in a hotel called _Ember Island._ I've booked it and everything. So remind me, what's the game plan for Mai?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I'll wait it out until spring break. Then I'll figure it out from there." Which Zuko knew was complete rubbish. He was going to Mai tomorrow and confront her, and he was going to figure this out. They had been going out for a long time- maybe too long.

Sokka was sitting at his computer, smiling. He'd gotten a text from his cousin, and he was excited. No one had heard from Korra since she had been picked to go off to that academy. No phones, they had said. They assured the family she was doing well and she sent pictures, but no real contact. And now, ten years later, she popped up on the map again.

Twenty years old. In college at Harvard. Looking at going to the Olympics in 2016- for judo, boxing, and fencing. Beautiful. Finally talking to Sokka again. She said she had texted Katara, but she hadn't picked up yet.

**Sokka: So what's Harvard like?**

**Korra: It's great. I have great teachers and trainers up here. It's kind of lonely though- the stupid academy still has me on a leash. Can't really go anywhere. I'm going to break out of here, though.**

**Sokka: What do you mean?**

**Korra: I've got a full ride here and trainers that are all through the USA's Olympic team. I can just quit the academy, and maybe get my own place. Get a job or something. You know?**

**Sokka: Sounds great. I'm so glad you finally got to talk to us.**

**Korra: Like they know I'm doing this. **

**Sokka: I miss you, Korra. You should come see us.**

**Korra: Got to finish up here, mate.**

Korra smiled. It was time she got out of this hellhole.

Mai smiled. Jet's parents were never home, which made it a perfect place to go. His room was always messy, and his walls were blue but hidden under posters. The owner of the room was beside Mai, checking his phone. It was so nice to have someone that didn't expect anything from her. Even still, it was good to have the occasional conversation. "How was your day?"

Jet laughed and kissed her cheek, with more care than usual. He hated to admit it, but he was developing actual feelings for Mai. "Look at you, getting all personal on me. My day was good, how was yours?"

Mai and him both knew that he had had an awful day, and she appreciated that he wasn't going to throw that on her. "I had a good day, too." She said, snuggling into him. Why was this conversation so personal today?

Jet smiled at the rare sign of affection from the Goth girl. "I got accepted into Washington State." He said nonchalantly, hoping to see some sort of approval from Mai.

Mai looked him for a second, making one of those rare smiles. When she didn't hate the world, she really was beautiful. "That's awesome Jet. What are you going to study?"

Jet shrugged. "I was thinking business. Maybe I could get a job close to home, so I could visit you. It's kind of scary. My parents are really proud of me."

Mai' stomach lurched. _He really wants to visit me? He's going to Washington- that's close enough to Port Angeles. Maybe he really likes me. _"I'm proud of you, too."

**What is this? A little love between our two most hated characters? (I don't know what their ship is called, excuse my naivety.) I don't know why I put that in there, but I couldn't help it. Don't pretend you didn't see it coming, though.**

**Thanks for all of the reviews, love the feedback coming in. **

**R&R!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Every new chapter blows my mind. That we've gotten this far, that you're all still here. Kudos to the people here since the beginning, props to the ones who just found it, a big thank you to everyone in between. You all are the reason I'm still writing.**

**I updated the story, and changed something. I decided that Zuko would be a junior. So maybe, he'll be a senior in the sequel… what. Who said that?**

**The song is Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons.**

**SUMMER GUYS.**

_Fire is a direct symbol of passion, of lust. A fiery person is outspoken and brave. Sometimes fire can be misjudged; people are cautious of something so beautiful and mystical but burns to the touch. Fire spreads like a disease, consuming everything in its path. It devours and destroys, and can completely decimate a forest. But there is another side to fire. It warms people and cooks their food. Without it, human civilization could have simply not existed. It's two sided; like a double edge broad sword. A fickle and hardly constant thing; but you just simply cannot live without it._

_If you do not want people to find out, do not do it._

_-Chinese Proverb_

Zuko walked through the hallways, chest beating. No one knew what was about to happen. No one knew what he was fiddling with inside his coat. A lot of people knew he was going to talk to Mai. Seeing his gloomy girlfriend, he took a moment to realize what she was. Gloomy. Sad. Distant. Frustrated. Angry. Beautiful all the same. "Mai, can we talk?"

Mai grinned devilishly. "What, no good morning?" She teased, sinking her hand down low, only to get it pushed away. Dropping the smile, she followed Zuko outside. _Great, my girl of a boyfriend finally grew a tiny bit of a backbone. _

As soon as they were out of earshot, Zuko looked Mai in the eye. "What's going on, Mai?" He asked bluntly. _I'm done with skirting around the topic. It's time we get this together. _

Mai blinked a few times, remaining calm. _Don't freak out and make this into something it's not. Play dumb. _"What do you mean? Is this about what you said yesterday?" She said, opening her eyeliner rimmed eyes wide.

Zuko bit his tongue, annoyed with her. "Mai, you've been so distant lately. You aren't talking to me and you're acting like I don't matter. Like there's something happening."

Mai's stomach twisted in knots. _He knows about Jet and I. How'd he find out? We were so good at keeping low! _Easy Mai, calm down. See what he knows. "Is that what you think? Is that all?"

Zuko was oblivious, but he wasn't stupid. He had caught the fear in her eyes, and her words. _Is that all? _"Is that what I think? I _know_ there's more. I'm just hoping you'll tell me now and make this easier for both of us, and everyone involved." A messy fight here would mean taking his anger out on his friends and family.

And that's when the gears in Mai's head started turning. "Everyone involved? What does that mean, Zuko? What did that little whore tell you?" She screamed.

Zuko's mind was foggy. _I didn't have any drinks last night. We just had pizza. So why is this conversation not making any sense? _Now that Mai was screaming, it was definitely a fight. But he didn't plan on screaming. It's like they were on different wavelengths. "What are you talking about, Mai?"

Mai laughed, which would have been nice in a different situation. "Don't play dumb with me, Zuko. What did you do? Get her in bed with you and make her spill all her dirty little secrets? Pull a Jet and drug her? Find out all you wanted to know from that blue eyed freak?" She said, voice going high and shrill.

Zuko was getting angry. "Mai I'm not sure you noticed, but I have _no idea what you're talking about_! I've never slept with Katara! We kissed once!" He yelled, regretting it the second he said it.

Mai's jaw dropped. "Didn't I teach her the first time? To keep her grubby little hands off of you? Well guess what Zuko? She can have you! Now both of us have cheated! Happy?"

Zuko stood there, blinking. She was still going, but now he wasn't listening to her monologue. "you cheated on me?" He asked quietly.

Mai snickered and howled. "You mean she never told you? Katara knew for months and she never told you? Hell yes, I've been cheating on you Zuko! Because Jet is sexy and strong and more of a man than you! And she knew this whole time! What a great little friendship you two have!"

Zuko shook his head in disbelief. "We're over." He mumbled.

Mai rolled her eyes. "That's the thing, Zuko. We've been over for months. You were just too blind to notice." She said plainly, leaving him with that.

Katara was looking through the hallways, fruitlessly looking for Zuko. All the people she had asked said that he and Mai went outside to talk, and they got in a huge fight. Now Mai was here and he wasn't. She was getting stares as she asked everyone if they had seen Zuko, and eventually gave up and got in her car. _If he isn't at school, there are only so many places he would be. _

She checked his house. Empty except for their old, white cat. He wasn't at the Jasmine Dragon. Not at the bookstore, or his favorite coffee shop, or even her bakery. There were no signs of him. Out of ideas, she came up with one last idea. _The park. _

Getting out of her car, she walked over the benches at the duck pond. He wasn't talking and he didn't even acknowledge she was there. All he did was throw more bread to the ducks. Not sure what to do, she put a tender arm around him and sat there. "I knew." She said, mumbling into his shoulder.

Zuko kept staring straight through. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Katara shrugged her shoulders. "It's complicated, Zuko." She said, too embarrassed by what happened to her to explain anything. _How am I supposed to tell him that his crazy ex girlfriend attacked me and cut me? _

Zuko stood up, training his bloodshot eyes on her. "It's _complicated_? I'll tell you what's complicated, Katara. Having a girlfriend cheating on you for months and having who you _thought _was your best friend know and do nothing because it was inconvenient! What was it, Katara? Was it too _awkward_ for you? Or was it _uncomfortable_? Too harsh for your little world?"

Katara stood up on the bench, getting on level ground with Zuko's eyes. "You think I didn't tell you about it because it didn't suit me? Are you kidding me right now? Zuko, I would do anything for you. I never turn my back on the people who need me!"

Zuko looked at her. "Of course you wouldn't. In your little world of butterflies and rainbows, you always help everyone! Let's just hug people and eat pizza and sing little songs! Do you even know what the real world is like, Katara?"

Katara stared at him for a second, controlling every thought she wanted to scream at him. _Have you ever not been able to see through your blood? Have you ever hit a guy so hard that he never wakes up? _"Tell me something, Zuko." She said, her voice dropped low. "Have you ever had someone die for you? Have you ever been left to your grandmother, not knowing whether or not your dad is alive? Do you know whether or not you'll have enough money to get your brother through college? Have you ever been so hungry you beg on the streets?"

Zuko looked at Katara. Katara, the girl who was the happiest person he knew, was telling him things that were too harsh to have ever happened to her. _Or so I thought. _"Ever had your mother die for no apparent reason? Ever had to crawl back to someone for forgiveness because they were the only place on the entire Earth for you to go? Ever been given a nasty ass scar by someone that you trusted? Took away everything important to you?"

Katara looked at him again with that look, the look that was hurt and offended and scared all at the same time. "Yes. I have." She whispered quietly, looking down at the ground. Jumping off the bench, she kept her head low and looked for her car. _I have to get out of here. _Blinking back tears, she drove away. "I really have."

Katara stood in front of her bathroom mirror, home alone. With her shirt lifted, she stared plainly at the scar on her abdomen. It was ugly and large, just like the ones on her wrists. Those ones brought more shame than this one did. The ones on her wrists were her own damn fault.

**WARNING: TRIGGERING.**

_Katara sat on her bed, crying. It was one of the bad days, the days when the sadness hit hard and crept into the deepest parts of her. The days when she needed some escape. The days when she said she was sick and spent the entire day motionless in her bed. The days when her razors and pencil sharpeners would be taken apart._

_Sharp, cold, metal. Small in her hands, dangerous to the touch. Dragged across her wrist, droplets would fall out and she would feel better. Open cuts made the darkness go away. But she was wrong. The darkness did not go away, it just sunk deeper inside her._

_It wasn't just the blades. A bottle of Absolute, a couple of the right pills, or skipping a few meals also did the trick. But it never lasted. She got hooked; she was addicted to hurting herself late at night when no one was awake. She craved the pain; she lusted for every second of it. And no one seemed to know why._

_Drugs were incredibly easy to pick up in the ring. All she had to do was snap her fingers and it was brought to her. The heavy stuff, the stuff you could get over the counter and it was all there. She threw herself into the gym. Eventually, no one could land a hit on her. That just made her cut more._

_She didn't ask for any help. She didn't want to get better. Eventually, someone dropped a bag off in her locker. One Prozac a day, it said. No cutters allowed in the ring._

_That wasn't going to do. This was Sokka's college money they were talking about. She took the pills, and she got better. Mainly._

Katara got into her car and started the drive out to the area she called home. She had time to spare, and wasn't going to miss anything tonight. Parking in her usual spot, she smiled. It had been a few days since she'd seen everyone. At least they had the common sense to keep her space reserved.

Hopping out, she spotted a familiar Ferrari in a parking space. _Shit, he showed up. _That meant putting the damn concealer on her hip. It was good stuff- waterproof and hard to scrub off- but there was some shame involved in covering up that _M_. Her tattoo would have to be covered, too. Couldn't risk him seeing that either. She was glad she had seen him at the fight. _Wouldn't it have been nice to say "Hey, Katara! I think I'll go see my first fight tonight." _

Entering the locker room with more confidence that she knew she had, she stripped down to her usual garb. She smiled for a second at the boys gawking at her. _Yes, it is possible to be skinny and have this nice of an ass. _Katara had never been insecure about her looks. Way too many reps of squats had been done for her to feel fat.

Walking out onto the floor with her hair up and her makeup on, she felt that rush of adrenaline hit her again. When the lights were bright and the screams were loud, you felt like a rock star. You felt like more than you could ever be. There had to be a hundred people screaming for her. Smiling, she saw Kyochi walking up to her.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, pulling Katara out of the make believe world. "I scared you, and I'm sorry."

Katara shrugged. "I wasn't that worried." She lied, both of them knowing the truth. Looking at her wrists, she sighed. "I should have told you about it a long time ago, shouldn't I?"

Kyochi imitated her, shrugging his shoulders. Putting an arm around her, he smiled. "_Eso si que is_."

Katara laughed. "We aren't even Spanish, you goofball." Hearing a gong, she took that as her cue. "Gotta go. I'm just going to kick some butt now." But even that little pep talk didn't cheer her up. She remembered exactly what Zuko had said to her. _I will never love you… I hate you. I will never love you… I hate you. _

**I'm bleeding out**

Katara stepped into the ring, looking at the latest fighter. She'd heard of him before, a prodigy from Texas or something. Tall, muscular, not afraid to hit a girl. Definitely not afraid to hit the Painted Lady.**  
So if the last thing that I do**

She didn't have too much time before this started. Looking up at Zuko, she made a few seconds of eye contact. No words, just eyes. **  
Is to bring you down**

All the weeks she had let him stay with Mai. All of the lies she had fed him.**  
I'll bleed out for you**

She tightened her tape. _This one's for you._**  
So I bare my skin**

Pulling her shirt off finally, she threw it to the side of the ring.**  
And I count my sins**

Thinking of all of the things she had done wrong.**  
And I close my eyes**

Breathe in, breathe out. Close your eyes and calm down.**  
And I take it in**

She listened to the roar of the crowd. All hungry for her blood. **  
And I'm bleeding out**

The gong sounded. She raced towards the man, only to get knocked onto her back.**  
I'm bleeding out for you (for you)  
**Feeling the trickle of blood spill from her jaw and onto the marble, she smiled. _I deserved that. _**  
When the day has come**

It was time for her to get what was coming to her. **  
That I've lost my way around**

Walking endlessly through the streets, nowhere to go but farther away.**  
And the seasons stop and hide beneath the ground**

A cold gray sky, all the time. Wasn't it March?**  
When the sky turns gray**

The bite of winter. The howl of the wind against the house.**  
And everything is screaming**

The roar of the crowds taunting her on.**  
I will reach inside**

She spit on the floor, standing up quickly before he could get a solid hit.**  
Just to find my heart is beating  
**Hearing the thump echo in her chest, she ducked under the man's swing and elbowed him soldly in the sternum.**  
You tell me to hold on**

A solid hit to the head. What he was doing wasn't legal, but no one seemed to care except for Kyochi screaming on the sidelines.**  
Oh you tell me to hold on**

The room was spinning, the man gaining an extra head. She was trying to keep it all together.**  
But innocence is gone**

He hit her again. He definitely didn't have a problem hitting a girl.**  
And what was right is wrong  
**She tried a sweep out of his legs. It didn't work at all. **  
'Cause I'm bleeding out**

The back of her head was sticky and hot. She had to push on.**  
So if the last thing that I do**

She got in a punch to his stomach, doubling him over. He sure went down fast.**  
Is to bring you down**

She thought of all she had done to Zuko lately. This was nothing.**  
I'll bleed out for you**

Jumping over a kick, she hit him straight in the forehead. It worked, but damn it hurt.**  
So I bare my skin**

He was still getting up. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she moved her hair out of her face and ran towards him again.**  
And I count my sins**

"Stay with her, Zuko. Give her time."**  
And I close my eyes**

She braced herself for the hit.**  
And I take it in**

A kick to the shin. She landed on her wrists and face.**  
And I'm bleeding out**

Nose bleeding. His mouth seeing a trickle of blood. **  
I'm bleeding out for you (for you)  
**An uppercut brought up to his jaw. **  
When the hour is nigh**

The sun had set long ago.**  
And hopelessness is sinking in**

Katara sat with the reality that this was going to be bloody.**  
And the wolves all cry**

The crowd screamed louder, amped up on the red splatters on the floor. Zuko thought he'd be sick.**  
To fill the night with hollering**

He couldn't cheer. There was so much blood.**  
When your eyes are red**

Cracked eyes, blood shot eyes. Red from crying.**  
And emptiness is all you know**

She remembered the darkness that claimed her for those years after Kya's death.**  
With the darkness fed**

It made the pain less, and made her happy. All of her blood spattered around the floor.**  
I will be your scarecrow  
**Getting flush to the floor, she barely missed the body that lunged at her. Had he really tried to _tackle _her?**  
You tell me to hold on**

Zuko bit his lip. "You can do this."**  
Oh you tell me to hold on**

Katara would never hear that. All she heard was the crack of the bones behind her.**  
But innocence is gone**

It was a hard hit. She couldn't stop now.**  
And what was right is wrong  
**His eyes still in his head. He stumbled up, looking at the finger now bent in a grotesque fashion.**  
'Cause I'm bleeding out**

Once again, she wiped away the blood tricking down her neck. She found Kyochi being held back by two men, screaming for her. Screaming for Katara.**  
So if the last thing that I do  
**She smiled, giving a thumbs up. "It's okay, Kyochi."

**Is to bring you down**

She felt sticky arms around her waist. She felt her butt connect with the floor and pain shoot up her spine.**  
I'll bleed out for you**

A kick to his stomach and rolling to the side. Standing up as fast as she could.**  
So I bare my skin**

She gave him a punch to the ears. It could be over if he would just stand up.**  
And I count my sins**

One, two, three times she had betrayed everyone. Risked her life out of selfishness.**  
And I close my eyes**

Another deep breath. Heartbeat beating out of control.**  
And I take it in**

Catching the punch in her hand, she threw it down and went for the head.**  
And I'm bleeding out**

Blood clouding her vision.**  
I'm bleeding out for you (for you)  
**Hearth pumping.**  
I'm bleeding out for you (for you)**

Muscles aching.**  
I'm bleeding out for you (for you)  
**Legs screaming.

**I'm bleeding out for you (for you)  
**Arms dying.

**I'm bleeding out for you  
**Brain fighting.**  
'Cause I'm bleeding out**

Raising her arms, she clapped them loudly over his ears.**  
So if the last thing that I do**

Eyes rolling back into his head.**  
Is to bring you down**

Body slumping to the floor.**  
I'll bleed out for you**

A tired smile, looking for Zuko in the crowd. Waving to him.**  
So I bare my skin**

Shivering. The room suddenly cold.**  
And I count my sins**

Seeing Kyochi. Kyochi's still screaming.**  
And I close my eyes**

World getting dark, glazing over. Legs giving in.**  
And I take it in**

Waving to Kyochi. He's running over. Catching her. Why is she falling?**  
And I'm bleeding out**

Kyochi catches her, covered in blood. Screaming for a doctor.**  
I'm bleeding out for you (for you)**

Katara smiling, looking around for a final time. Wondering if Zuko forgives her now.

**Well that was dark, wasn't it? It was dark and scary and I loved it. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**You guys are getting so worried, with all of the dark chapters lately. It's okay, it will get better from here. Everyone's fine… for now. MWAHAHA**

_Fire is a direct symbol of passion, of lust. A fiery person is outspoken and brave. Sometimes fire can be misjudged; people are cautious of something so beautiful and mystical but burns to the touch. Fire spreads like a disease, consuming everything in its path. It devours and destroys, and can completely decimate a forest. But there is another side to fire. It warms people and cooks their food. Without it, human civilization could have simply not existed. It's two sided; like a double edge broad sword. A fickle and hardly constant thing; but you just simply cannot live without it._

_We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken._

_-John Green_

Katara woke up in the back of the ring, empty and desolate except for the people around her. There were five people crowding her, looking extremely relieved. Why were they so happy? Blinking a couple times, she started to recognize the people around her. Kyochi was holding her hand, looking like he was about to cry. Someone was pulling something out of the crook of her elbow- Christ, was that a _transfusion_? The back of her head throbbed. The doctor of the ring was checking her pulse. She had a pillow under her. _What the…_ She snapped her head up, confused. Feeling a rush of blood to her head, she blacked out.

"_Hello, Katara." A familiar voice echoed through the infinite space Katara had somehow found herself in. She looked around the misty plain, flat except for a few trees in the distance. The fog covered her feet, hiding them from Katara's view. She searched the plain again, trying to find the source of the echoing voice. "Who's there?"_

_A figure came out from behind a tree and walked towards her. Short and slender, the woman moved towards her. She had long hair, kept back in a braid like Katara. Her dress was flowing with the wind that Katara didn't realize was there, and the closer she came Katara realized she had a white dress, tan skin, and blue eyes. "Mom, where am I? Am I… dead?" _

_Kya laughed for a second, and smiled. "You're perfectly fine, dear. We were worried about you for a while, but you pulled through. Tell Kyochi I said thank you. You've gotten so big, Katara. Look at you. I miss you so much." She said, hugging Katara tightly. Turning her daughter's wrist over, she frowned. "I wish I didn't have to go away. I wish I could have stayed with you and Hakoda."_

_Katara grabbed her wrist back, defensive even to her mother. "Am I crazy? Why am I seeing you? Is this a dream?" She asked, looking at her mother. Seeing the trees disappear in the distance, she realized the fog was closing in on them. "Why did you leave, Makuahine? Why did you die for me?"_

_Kya looked at the fog rising, and said something under her breath that Katara could not hear. "They aren't giving me much time Katara. I have to tell you something. Answer this Katara, do you love him?" She asked, smiling with those white teeth that Katara missed so much._

_Katara shrugged her arms. "I don't know."_

_Kya laughed. "Don't play coy with me, dear. Being up here has taught me some things." Glancing around her, the fog was closing in. "You have to save him, Katara. If you want to keep him, you have to keep him alive."_

_Katara's eyes widened. "He would never, Makuahine!"_

_Kya hugged her daughter one final time, kissing her on the forehead. "You have twenty minutes, my daughter. Or he will live with me instead." Holding her daughter close, she watched the fog envelop them. "I love you."_

_Katara cried. "I love you too."_

_Kya smiled, no longer able to see Katara through the mist. "Katara, when the time comes you'll have to choose between us. Choose him, Ku'u Lei. Fight through it. They will come in time."_

_Katara held on to her mother, still confused by her cryptic words. But before she could question her, she felt her mother's body disappear and she was left alone in the thick mist._

Katara's eyes opened. Sitting up, she felt no lack of energy this time. Not bothering with the people around her, she took out all of the needles in her. Scanning the people now staring at her, she bowed. "Thank you all for saving me, but I have to go." Getting into her car, she revved the engine. It wasn't a long drive to Zuko's, but what if he wasn't there? She picked up her phone. "Zuko?" She asked quietly, turning her car off for a second.

Zuko sighed. "Yes?" He asked, looking at the gun in his hand.

Katara drummed her fingers. "Are you at your house?"

Zuko plopped onto his bed, listening to the creak of his bed. "Yeah, I am. Can we just talk tomorrow at school? Or you can text me."

Katara started her car, praying he wouldn't hear it on the other end. "Okay, that works too. I'll see you tomorrow." Turning off her phone, she drove off. _Please don't do it, please don't do it._

Zuko sat on his bed, slowly taking out a thin, yellow stained notebook and a pen. The notebook had gold signed letters on the front: _Ursa. _

Katara flew through the neighborhoods. Nothing was fast enough.

Zuko began to write. _To whoever finds what's left of me, _

A car going 60 in a 15.

A pen scribbling down letters furiously.

A car slowing to a halt, a person getting out and sprinting down a block. _Don't park at the house_, Kya's voice haunted.

The notebook being set down.

A door being opened with the spare key. _Look under the azalea_, the voice told her.

The gun stared at for a few seconds, then picking the notebook back up.

Sneaking up the stairwell. _Stay quiet._

The gun being reached for.

"ZUKO!" Katara screeched, running into the room and taking the gun. She picked it up and disarmed it, taking all of the bullets and throwing them out his open window. She looked at him for a moment, finally seeing the notebook beside him. Before he could do anything, she snatched it from him and read the open page aloud. "To whoever finds what's left of me, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was not a perfect son or a good nephew or an adequate brother. I'm sorry I made my girlfriend cheat on me. I'm sorry I pushed my friends away and hurt the ones that loved me. I'm sorry I never got to find out what happened to Ursa. I'm sorry that no one saw the signs. I'll miss some of you. To others, I was already out of your life. Regards, Zuko." She said quietly, looking at him for a response. "Pure poetry, Zuko."

Zuko's eyes flamed, angered. "What the hell was that for, Katara?" He screamed, pointing at the gun on the floor and the book in her hand. "Why are you here?"

Katara's mouth opened in shock. "I… I just saved your life! Why are you screaming at me?" She yelled back, confused and hurt. _What's going on? _

Zuko's world turned red again. "Because I don't deserve it! Because I shouldn't be here! Because I'm angry at myself and I'm angry at Mai and you and everyone else!" The red faded slowly from his vision, and he still hadn't hit anyone.

Katara sat down on the bed, rubbing her temples. "Why are you angry?"

Zuko sat down beside her, emotions fading from anger to guilt and sadness. "I couldn't even keep my girlfriend happy. I couldn't be a good son, or nephew, or brother, or friend. Why am I so bad at being good?" He said, looking into the deep blue eyes beside him.

The eye contact was too much for Katara. She looked away from him and shrugged, the back of her head throbbing. _Who gave me these stitches? They hurt more than usual. _"It's alright, Zuko. Everything gets better with time. You'll be okay." Promising, she hugged him tightly for the second time today.

Zuko pushed her off of him, shaking his head. "This isn't going to get better, Katara. I suck at being normal. I'll never be good enough for anyone. I can't even keep myself alive!" He said, pointing at the gun thrown to the other side of the room.

Katara sat away from him, silently nursing all of the bruises and cuts on her. "Was… was this the first time? You tried to hurt yourself? Or kill yourself?" She asked, thinking of her own wrists.

Zuko laughed. "You really don't know much about the world, do you? You're so damn ignorant." He said, chuckling quietly.

Katara's face went red. "Don't call me ignorant, Zuko. Don't go there. I just saved your life."

Zuko looked at her, smirking. "Do you not want to be called ignorant? Because yeah, maybe your mother did die. But you know nothing about life." He said, hurting her.

But today was not a "yell the reasons Zuko's wrong" day. Balling up her fist, she hit in the stomach. Hard. Standing up, he waited for him to do the same. "Get up, Zuko. Get on your feet. For once, don't be a pussy." She said, letting him get up. As soon as he did, she hit him in the chest. He fell back down. "Don't you dare call me ignorant."

Zuko was gasping for breath. Where had she learned to hit so hard? "What's your problem, Katara? It's just a simple fact that you've never dealt with the same hardships I have. Ever tried to kill yourself, Katara?" He asked, prodding.

Katara's face was steel. "More times than you." She remembered every time she cut deep, praying she would hit a vein. Hoping that she had enough pills in her hand.

Zuko stared at her. Here she was, answering his questions very differently than he thought she would. "Why? Why are you lying to me? This isn't helping."

Katara's brain went blue. "Are you kidding me, Zuko? Do you know how many times I've almost died?" Moving her sleeves up, she held out her wrists to show the scars. "I'm not some good little girl, Zuko. You act like you know me so well, Zuko. But you don't."

Zuko just kept staring at her wrists, in disbelief. They were definitely something of a shock to Zuko- they had a sizable amount of scars on them. To some, they would be ugly. But to him, they were just a fact that he had never expected to know. A field of brown, with white streaks running across it. Over ridges of blue and green, pulsing and pumping beneath the flesh. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The reality of what he had done sunk in. He had almost killed himself. His honor already stripped, he began to cry.

Katara immediately pitied him. Sitting down beside him, she patted his shoulder as gently as she could. Instantly, he hugged her tightly. His body racked with sobs, she let him cry on her. "It's okay Zuko, it's okay." Sitting quietly, she took a minute to think. Holding Zuko's broken form close to her, questions began swarming in her mind. Was that a dream she had about her mother? It seemed so real. How had she known what Zuko was planning to do? Why was Kya's voice in her head? Before that, she hadn't remembered her voice. How had it told her what to do? And why did he care so much about Zuko? Had that actually been her mother? Had her mother somehow told her what was going to happen?

Was that real?

Toph sat in Aang's house, annoyed with the attention her boyfriend was giving her. He was hugging her really tight, and it was annoying her. "Aang, get off of me." She mumbled, moving away from him on the couch. Didn't he ever give any space? Moving to sit farther away from him, she held herself tightly. Aang and Toph had been going out for almost seven months now, and Aang was getting annoying. He was so serious about their relationship. What was the big deal? "Why don't you ever give me any space, Twinkle Toes?"

Aang creased his eyebrows. She knew how much he hated that nickname. It made him feel like he was twelve years old again, too young and too scrawny to ever get Katara to notice him. He'd expressed how much he hated it, and Toph's frequent attempts to make him feel small was getting really old. "You know how much I hate that nick name, Toph." He ran his long, thin fingers through his hair. She was getting so distant lately. Every date and intimate moment between them was turning into an awkward standoff. "Are you okay, Toph?"

Toph rolled her colorless eyes. "Of course I am, _Twinkle Toes. _I'm always okay. And I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop moving closer towards me." _How stupid does he think I am? _It wasn't hard to notice his slow but obvious movements, scooting himself closer to her. _I'm not a child, and I don't need you near me at all times. _"I have an idea, Aang. How about I just call a babysitter for me? I think that way, someone could monitor me all the time. Or just get a hooker to do it since they probably have lower hourly rates."

Aang blinked a couple times. "Toph, what on Earth are you talking about?" She was always having these conversations with herself inside her head and when she opened her mouth, it was never surprising for a complete different topic to come spilling out. "You don't need anyone to watch you, Toph. You're strong and independent and really brave." He said to her, moving closer. Just because Toph seemed so confident didn't mean she didn't need reassurance every once in awhile. "But that doesn't mean you can just live your life without other people. Because people like me, me and Katara and Sokka and Zuko even, we just want to love you. You don't have to go through life alone, even though you can." He said, stroking her milky white arm tenderly.

Toph tried to ignore the words Aang said. "I'm sure you do love me, Aang." She snarled sarcastically, standing up and getting off the couch. _You love me just like my parents love me. Just like my teachers, nurses, and workers love me. Enough to put me in a little glass box up on your wall._ "You know, I think I'm just going to go home." She said, grabbing her jacket.

Aang rubbed his eyes miserably. "Let me drive you home." He offered, knowing she would never let him.

Toph's brain screamed. _Oh, so now I can't drive myself? _"I'm fine. Goodnight." She gritted out, leaving the room.

Korra scanned through the apartment, nodding her head as she walked through the rooms. It hadn't taken her too long to find someone looking for a roommate. "Well, it's definitely big enough." She said, going through the spacious but largely unfurnished apartment. _They can afford a big apartment, but they can't afford nice furniture. Maybe that's why they're picking up rent. _

They dark haired man behind her shrugged. "Well, we're not exactly up her a lot. Usually, we're down stairs." His green eyes shined animatedly, and a small animal squeaked and ran up the back of his toned shoulders. "Hey, little buddy! Korra, this is my ferret Pabu."

Korra turned around and smiled at the cute little creature. "He's adorable. And you're name is Bolin, right?" She asked, hoping that she hadn't forgotten her potential roommate's name.

"That's correct, little lady. And that's Mako." He said, pointing to the moody boy on the couch.

Korra wrinkled her forehead. _Scarfy boy didn't even say hello. _"And what exactly is downstairs that you guys are at often?"

Mako rolled his eyes. "It's MMA. Mixed Martial Arts, and it's a mixture of wrestling and kickboxing. It's not something I would expect you to know about." He said dismissively, walking up to Bolin. "Bro, we don't need some ditzy girl who can't pay her bills living with us."

Korra's eyebrow twitched in indignation. "I'm not ditzy, and I have ears. I'm pretty sure ditzy girls don't go to Harvard." She said, making a gesture to the name of her college scrawled across the chest of her sweatshirt. "And I have a job." What she didn't mention was that she started last Monday.

Bolin's eyes popped out. He was cute, Korra had to admit. Scarfy would be too if he ever smiled. "I can't believe you go to Harvard, Korra! That's so awesome!"

Korra smirked proudly. "Yeah, I'm pretty smart." Why wouldn't she brag? Not everyone can keep up a 3.5 GPA with her training schedule. _Not to self: study for Civics and Economics. _

Mako rolled his eyes, again. If there was one thing that Mako hated, it was people who bragged. "Great to know. Do you do anything other than brag about grades?"

Bolin laughed. "I saw in your email that you do judo?" He asked, glad to have someone athletic in the apartment. There was no doubt about it; Korra was all muscle.

Korra smiled at Bolin, glad someone was giving her a chance. "Yeah, I do. I was really hoping that maybe you guys could show me around the MMA ring downstairs. Maybe show me a couple moves or something?"

Bolin smiled. "Sure I can! I just don't know how my MMA skills will translate to your judo. I'm a boxer, you know." He said, flexing his biceps. They were huge.

Korra shrugged. "It's okay, I box too. And I fence, which I'm going to assume you do. My tae kwon do is coming along." She said smugly.

Mako sighed and closed the cabinet he was looking in. "You're Korra Hokori, and I'm an idiot." The genius from Harvard going to the Olympics for three sports. And he had been a jerk to her the whole morning.

Korra smiled, laughing at Bolin's reaction to this. "So when can I move in?"

Sitting quietly, Katara glanced down at Zuko. He seemed to be asleep, resting on Katara's frame. He wasn't the lightest person, and his muscular frame was forcing Katara to lean back onto the headboard to hold his weight. _He's much less of a hassle when he's asleep. _She joked to herself, twisting her fingers through his jet black hair. He moved a little under her hand, but he still seemed to be asleep. Feeling her cell phone ringing in her back pocket, she opened it quietly. "What do you want, Kyochi?"

Kyochi was pacing back and forth, annoyed. She had been gone for a hour, and she wasn't in very good shape. "Where are you? You aren't healthy enough to be running around."

Katara rolled her eyes. "I had a transfusion, Kyochi. I've got enough blood back in me. I've had less and you know it. I'm kind of in the middle of something, so I'll see you tomorrow." It was a lie and she knew it. The lack of blood was making her head pound, and she was certain that any sudden movements would be accompanied by dizziness and fainting.

Kyochi frowned. "Don't you hang up on me Kata-" the phone line went dead. _Damn her. _

Katara ended the call, putting the phone down on the bed. Suddenly, Zuko's hand swung and grabbed it. He sat up, looking Katara in the eye. "You didn't tell me you were hurt." Zuko said, looking into Katara's frightened blue eyes.

Katara smiled. Trying to act dumb would only make him mad, so she just sighed. "It's not that bad. Nothing to complain about. Didn't really come up in conversation, either." She joked, realizing she was probably still in bloody clothes. She hadn't thought about what she looked like.

Neither had Zuko, apparently. Moving off of her, he studied her body. She was in an oversized shirt, and black shorts. She was covered in bruises, and her nose looked busted. Her hair was messy and there was dried blood on her chin where it hadn't been cleaned off. The crook of her elbow was slightly bruised from a needle. "What happened." He whispered, in disbelief.

Katara smiled and then shrugged. "You should see the other guy. No, really. You should see him." She said, still trying to deny the fact she'd never needed a transfusion before. He had been there, and she was terrified he would connect the dots. _Please stay oblivious. _

Zuko felt his throat go dry. How had he not noticed sooner? Why had she been saving him when he was too stupid to notice that she was so hurt? The guilt was overwhelming him and he began to get extremely angry at himself. "Why didn't you say anything to me?" He yelled, standing up. Going over to a wall, he punched the wall and made a decent sized hole.

Katara's face drained and she realized he was going over the edge. Worried, she forgot about the buzzing in her head and stood up to get to him. "Zuko, stop." She managed to say before taking a step and falling down. Room spinning, she didn't feel but instead heard her head hit the hardwood floor.

Zuko's head snapped around and he couldn't do anything but watch as Katara hit the floor. Panicking, he ran over to her quickly and picked her up. Cradling her tenderly, he sat on the bed and shook her lightly to wake her up. "Katara, are you alright?" They both knew the answer was no.

Katara smiled weakly at Zuko, trying to get him to stop worrying. "I'm fine, but my legs have this mind of their own."

Zuko smiled sadly, feeling her head for any bumps from the fall. Feeling something sticky, he felt the thread and realized how new the stitches must be. "You're so stupid." He choked out, holding her tightly.

Katara laughed a little. "This is coming from the guy that tried to kill himself."

Zuko smiled. "That is coming from a girl who did, too." Stroking her hair softly, he realized how much she really meant to him. "You're my best friend, Katara."

Katara didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. _And I guess that's all I'll ever be to you. _

But for tonight, that was enough.

**Aw, a little fluff. Mixed with a bit of trouble from the Taang section! What's up with them? And Korra is somehow weaseling her way into this fic. Ack, someone save me!**

**R&R!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

**Are you guys enjoying your summer as much as I am?**

**I'll be out of town, so don't expect another chapter from me until July or so.**

_Fire is a direct symbol of passion, of lust. A fiery person is outspoken and brave. Sometimes fire can be misjudged; people are cautious of something so beautiful and mystical but burns to the touch. Fire spreads like a disease, consuming everything in its path. It devours and destroys, and can completely decimate a forest. But there is another side to fire. It warms people and cooks their food. Without it, human civilization could have simply not existed. It's two sided; like a double edge broad sword. A fickle and hardly constant thing; but you just simply cannot live without it._

_One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful._

_Sigmund Freud_

_He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same._

_Emily Bronte_

_Scars have the strange power to remind us that the past is real._

_Cormac McCarthy _

Katara stirred, feeling a warm mass against her body. It wasn't long until she realized that the object was breathing, and in fact was a person. Trying not to move them, she looked slowly around her. She wasn't daft- she had remembered what happened last night, and figured that she and Zuko had fallen asleep. But who put the sheet on her?

Zuko smiled at Katara, who was trying to move around without waking him. "I rise with the sun, you know." He said, stretching out. _Couldn't she have woken up faster? Sitting in the same position for an hour is awful!_

Katara jumped a little, unaware that Zuko was awake. "I didn't know you were up. I was trying not to wake you up." Moving out of the bed, she looked at the satin sheet on his bed. _Of course he can afford satin sheets. _"Where'd the blanket come from?"

Zuko shrugged. "I thought you put it there. Which means… ugh." Putting a hand over his eyes, he groaned._ Just great. _

"What?" Katara said, confused.

Uncle Iroh burst through the bedroom door, smiling brightly. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Miss Katara. It's so lovely to see you! Though I would rather, in the future, have you use a guest bedroom." He said, shooting a disapproving look at Zuko. "Would you like any tea?"

Katara smiled, feeling the warmth rush to her cheeks. "Yes, please. Any kind of tea that you're having would be great." Feeling bad for Zuko, she began to speak again. "I didn't plan on staying for the night. I fell asleep, and I guess Zuko did too. If I hadn't, I definitely would have moved to a different bedroom."

Iroh smiled happily. "I don't doubt it. I know you are a woman of great honor." Looking at her frazzled appearance and bloodied frame, he laughed. "I suppose that the other guy looks worse? He always does."

Zuko wrinkled his forehead. _So Uncle thinks the other guy looks worse, too? _Was there something he didn't know? "Uncle, Katara and I were planning on skipping a day. Mai and I broke up." He explained painfully, feeling a prick in his heart.

Iroh nodded understandingly. "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for extraordinary destinies, nephew. Except you are already extraordinary and you have an extraordinary friend to help you." Smiling at Katara, he winked and folded his hands. "Feel free to take a day to relax. And Katara, I know that you love what you do but please take a shower."

Katara laughed. "Of course I will, Uncle. Thank you."

Iroh smiled. "I'll leave your tea on the table."

Sokka groaned. Why was his sister always vanishing? She was home. Granted, Sokka was never home either. But then again, why would he want to be home alone in this ghost of a house? Kanna was always at the bakery, and Katara was disappearing to wherever it was that she went to. She didn't do many extracurricular activities; she did volunteer work in the summer to "look good for college." That was the thing about her- always worried about college, especially for Sokka. She always pushed him into every club, sport, and job she could find.

He smiled. Even though it was a pain in the ass, Katara pushed him. And because of that, his resume was filled to the brim and his college applications looked amazing. In all honesty, he could pick whatever college he wanted. Katara was always assuring they could pay for it. She was such a mother, and Sokka really didn't know what he'd do without her. She was his rock.

Checking his phone, he saw a single text from his sister. _Ditching school with Zuko. See you later. _He smiled a little at this, glad that she was safe. _Those two are peas in a pod. They're always together. Why can't I have a friend like that? _If Aang was here, Sokka was sure that he'd say something about how Zuko and Katara seemed to be more than friends. _What does that kid know about my sister and who she likes? _But then again, what did Sokka know about his sister?

Aang sat in orchestra class, deep in thought. The rest of his class knew to get out of his way when his dark eyebrows creased and his grey eyes squinted at his music. His calloused hands strummed mindlessly through his cello's strings, making a light sound. That was his gift- he turned cello, a deep and strong instrument, into a flowing and light sound. He was pretty renowned for it, and a couple colleges had already looked into him.

His current source of frustration was the Prelude to Suite no. 6, in the famous Bach Cello Suite. It wasn't an incredibly hard piece, but his teacher gave him it despite the fact she knew how much he hated sight reading. "When do I have to play this?"

Professor Yangchen smiled. "Tonight, Aang. Meet me after school. I expect you to have it thirty minutes after school is over."

Aang's eyes popped. "But Professor, that's not enough time to perfect this song! I'll have to study it during lunch!"

Yangchen smiled. "How easy did you expect it to be?"

Toph painted hard, rough strokes onto her canvas. Picking up a different brush, she picked up a tint of the same color and added it on top of the former image, giving it a shining quality.

"It's quite good, but why the small thick strokes?" A figure said from behind her.

_Damn these new hearing aids. Why couldn't I just not hear him? _"I'm using thick strokes because I'm making a waterfall. The water hits the rock hard. So the water is in smaller strokes." _Idiot. _

The guy laughed. "Makes sense. I'm Teo, by the way."

Toph turned around to look at the guy who was interrupting her precious painting time. She was surprised to see that he wasn't sitting down, but in a wheelchair.

Teo smiled. "Yeah, I know the wheelchair is a surprise. But believe me, I have endurance." He teased.

Toph laughed. "I'm sure you do. All freshmen are really hunks. Make us juniors squeal."

Pouting, Teo crossed his arms. "Sophomore, actually. Moved here last week. Gotten a lot of stares for the wheelchair, though."

Toph continued painting her waterfall. "Don't expect a pity party from me. If you haven't noticed my hearing aids, I'm sort of deaf. And colorblind, so I think I win the 'Most Handicapped' award."

Teo snorted a little. "Then why do you paint?"

Dabbing a little more blue into the pool of water at the base of her painting, she shrugged. "Why not?"

Sitting at Zuko's favorite duck pond, Katara smiled to herself. The day was going well, and Zuko was finally opening up to her. "Zuko, I'm really sorry about Mai." She said, shifting her face away from him. "I know how much she meant, _means_, to you, but she was threatening Toph. I couldn't let her get hurt."

Zuko frowned a little, upset at the idea of anyone hurting Toph. Toph was like his little sister, except she didn't go around stabbing people. "But if you had explained that to me, I could have done it differently. I could have protected her." If he could, that is. When was the last time he protected someone?

Katara laughed hollowly. "You can't protect people from Mai, Zuko. She's crazy and strong and not afraid of hurting people. Plus, she's way too good at sneaking up on people." She said, shivering at all the memory of Mai closing in on her like a shadow.

Zuko's eyebrow twitched. Sure, Mai had cheated on Zuko. But she had been one of his best friends and it still offended him a little to hear her called crazy. "She's not crazy. She's just… confused about what she's doing. She's just a little lost right now."

Katara blinked a couple times, making sure that she heard right. _Is he really protecting her? _"I don't think so, Zuko. Maybe it's time to let her go. You have to accept it eventually." She added, hoping that she wouldn't make him mad. Lately, she had been afraid of making people mad.

Zuko noticed the fear in her voice. _Is she scared of me? _Katara wasn't supposed to be scared. "I'm trying, Katara. I really am trying to let her go. But it's so hard to move on."

Katara nodded. "Zuko, she'll never be good for you. She needs help."

Zuko's anger returned. "Why on Earth would she need help, Katara? Maybe you're the one that needs help. After you're the one that tried to kill yourself." He sneered.

Katara flinched at his words, curling up into herself. Why was he so _mean_? She was so good to him. Moving away from him on the bench, she kept her head low. _Don't cry here, Katara. He doesn't deserve to see you cry right now. _

Zuko's face softened when he saw Katara move away from him. "Come on, Katara. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." He said, hugging her. She didn't move or even acknowledge him, and so they sat there in an awkward position for a while before Katara finally spoke.

"She hurt me, Zuko. I went to talk to her, and I told her that I was going to tell you no matter what she did. Then she attacked me, and she told me that she would do it to Toph. And there was _so much blood."_ She croaked out, letting a single tear fall down her cheek. Zuko wiped it away gently, holding her tighter. "And Jet had these pictures from the beginning of the year. The jerk put something in my drink, and then we did stuff I don't remember. But he was going to send those pictures to colleges. And he was going to send it to the whole school. I was so scared."

Zuko moved her into his lap, feeling her tremble trying to fight back tears. "I didn't know." He whispered into her hair, making her shake harder. _Why didn't she ever tell me? _"Where did she hurt you?"

Katara finally let herself cry, letting him comfort her for the first time in a very long time. "Everywhere, Zuko. She saw the scars on my wrists and she cut me. She almost hit a vein. And she cut me on my hip." She said quietly, feeling him stroke her hair like you would a child.

Zuko's conscience was screaming at him. "Can I see?" He said softly, still holding her to him gently. Something Mai said finally made sense. _Didn't I teach her the first time? _

Katara nodded. Lifting her shirt just enough so that Zuko couldn't see her tattoo _(a conversation for a different day, Katara)_, she showed him the scar. It really wasn't often that she let people in, and telling Zuko her problems was weird.

Zuko sat for a second, looking at the M traced into her tan skin. _It must have hurt so much. _Feeling himself tear up, he held her tightly. "I should have known. I should have helped you. I let her scar you. You're going to have it forever." He said, thinking of his own scar.

Katara sat back, looking at him. "It's just a scar, Zuko." She said, looking him in the eye.

Zuko shook his head. "It's not just a scar, Katara. It's there forever and it will always remind you of what she did and-"

Katara moved her hand up to his face, letting it rest on his scar. She cut him off the second she touched it, and she caught his eyes. "It's just a scar, Zuko. It doesn't own you." Stroking it gently, she watched the walls break down. _Has he ever let anyone touch his scar before? _

His skin quivered under Katara's light touch. No one had ever touched his scar before. No one had even tried. And no one had tried to tell him that he was more than his scar. It felt good to have someone there for him. Mai had never brought up his scar, much less touched it like Katara was. "You shouldn't have had to go through what she did to you."

Katara smiled weakly. "It only makes us stronger." She would admit, nightmares of Mai had frequently joined the lineup of dreams that woke her up screaming in the middle of the night. She would never admit that, though. Touching his scar one last time, she hugged him again.

Maybe this time she wouldn't have to let go.

Mai sat on the bed lazily with Jet, one of his tan arms draped around her. The words had been on her tongue lately, and it was as good as a time as any to ask. "Jet, where is this going?"

Jet sat up slowly, shrugging."I don't really know, Mai. You and Zuko are over, and you're spending a lot of time over here." It was true. Mai and Jet had been together almost every day lately.

Mai smiled a tiny smile, something only Jet seemed to make her do. "You do have a point there. But what do you want this to be? You're going off to college after this year." Reminding herself of the painful fact made her wish she hadn't brought it up.

Jet rolled his eyes. "So what? Seattle's only two and a half hours from here. I can drive back on weekends."

Mai smiled again. "You'd do that for me?" This whole time, she had assumed this was just an affair, and nothing more. She always thought she would be with Zuko for the rest of her life.

Jet laughed. "Babe, you're my whole world." He kissed her on the forehead. "I'd do anything for you."

Mai was grinning ear to ear now, which she had done maybe never before. "I'm going to get into the university next year."

Jet rolled his eyes. "Like I'd expect any less."

Korra hit Bolin in his gloves, trying to use the forms he had just showed her. "Is that okay?" She said, trying it again.

Bolin smiled. "It'd be fine, if you were trying to hit a dead fish." Standing beside her, he moved her waist and arms. "See, if you do it like this, you'll be much quicker on your feet."

Korra blushed a tiny bit at Bolin. "Okay, I'll try it like that." Shifting on her feet, she hit his hands again.

"Much better! You're a natural." Bolin's face was shining with pride.

Mako walked through the training room and grunted. "Oh, you're still here." He muttered, grabbing a towel and going into the showers.

Korra rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're still a jerk." Looking at Bolin, she practiced the form a couple more times. "I mean, I'm moving my stuff in tomorrow. What does he expect?"

Bolin smiled. "He's just sort of… abrasive. I'm sure he'll warm up to you." Waiting for her to try to hit again, he swung out of the way and kicked one of her legs out. She landed in an awkward ball on the floor, making him laugh. "Are you planning on staying here tonight? I could take the couch."

Korra thought about it for a second. What _was _she doing tonight? "Well, I actually didn't have a plan for tonight. So I guess I'll be taking the couch tonight." She laughed, cursing herself for not thinking ahead.

Bolin shrugged. "Whatever works for you." Grabbing a towel, he looked back at her. "What are you doing for dinner?"

Korra looked around. "Uh… Ramen?"

Bolin giggled. "I feel like you do that a lot." Tossing her a towel, he got an idea. "There's a noodle shop a block down. Let's bring Mako along too!"

Korra grumbled. "Great."

Toph sat with Suki, getting a manicure. Not exactly her thing, but she never really got to talk with her. "So… how's Sokka?"

Suki rolled her eyes. "Stupid as always. You know him. He's really worried about Katara, though."

Toph snorted. "And you aren't?"

Suki looked down at her nails, suddenly interested in them. "Well, I think she's okay…"

Toph shrugged, annoying the lady doing her nails. "I just hope she doesn't pull anything over Spring Break. Her and Zuko need to figure themselves out by the time we leave."

Suki smirked. "Toph, we leave tomorrow. At ten in the morning."

Toph huffed, the way she always did when someone pointed out the flaws in her plans. "Well, they better figure themselves out fast!"

Katara and Zuko sat in the bench, not moving much. Zuko was pretty certain Katara had dozed off some time ago, and he didn't have the heart to wake her up. They had been up pretty late last night. _How did she know? _Moving her gently, he tried to rustle her awake. "Katara, wake up."

Katara woke up slowly, feeling someone jostling her gently. Blinking, she found herself face to face with a certain scarred boy. "What do you want now?"

Zuko smiled. "How did you know, Katara? Last night. How did you know?"

Katara shrugged. "Do you believe in spirits?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "I suppose."

Katara looked out onto the duck pond. "Well, they're a big part of my culture. Between the Hawaiian and Inuit people, there's enough of that to go around."

Zuko was missing the point. "And you're asking because?"

Katara smiled. "My mom really cares about you."

Zuko looked blankly at her. "Your mom told you about me?"

Katara blushed. "I know it sounds stupid." She said, muttering to herself. _Why didn't I just make something up?_

Zuko shook his head. Picking up her chin and looking her in the eye, he smiled. "I believe you. I just wish that my mom would do the same. I haven't even had a single dream about her."

Katara hugged him tightly. "I didn't know. I thought she lived with your father."

He laughed. It wasn't a real laugh, like Katara was used to. It was a sad, hollow laugh that she was used to using herself. "No, she disappeared a long time ago."

Katara frowned. "Are you sure she's dead?"

Shrugging, Zuko rubbed his arm uncomfortably. "It's been five years, Katara. She disappeared when I was twelve and she never wrote. She never tried to find me or contact me. I think she's passed on."

Katara shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm sure she's out there, somewhere." Seeing him looking off at the pond, she grabbed his hand. "Hey. Hey."

Zuko's nostrils flared. "This is where she used to take me. This bench right here was where we'd go."

Katara's tone softened. "I promise you Zuko, we're going to find her one day."

Zuko smiled at her. "You've always cared so much."

"I mean it." She said, soft but serious. "We're going to find her. I'm going to help you."

Zuko cocked his head, surprised again by her actions. _Why does she care so much about me? All I've ever done is hurt her. _"Whatever you say, Katara. But we have no time, no money, and no way to find her."

Katara grinned brightly. "That, Zuko, is where you're wrong. We have all of those."

Zuko looked at her. _She's crazy._

Katara rolled her eyes. "You doubt me so, Zuko. Maybe we have things that we have to do, like school. But hey, we're going to Miami tomorrow." She said hopefully. _Let me do this for you._

Zuko smiled again, letting a small grin ease onto his face. "Okay, Katara. We'll look in Miami."

Katara squealed and hugged him. He let himself take her in for the first time since they kissed, smiling at her enthusiasm. She was so affectionate; it was going to rub off on him eventually. Putting one hand on her back, he put his chin on the top of her head. _She's going to be the death of you. _

But remembering that he had a gun up to his head last night, Katara being the death of himself seemed much less scary.

**Awww fluffy little Zutara. See, all you patient followers are probably dying because something's happening!**

**Hope you loved it.**

**R&R!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

**Happy late Fourth of July, folks! If you aren't from America, that's okay too. Happy late Thursday! **

**So… there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that I'm putting up a new chapter. The bad news is that I'll be gone for two weeks. You see, I'm backpacking for a week, and then the very next day I go to band camp. So I probably won't be able to post again for a while. Love y'all!**

_Fire is a direct symbol of passion, of lust. A fiery person is outspoken and brave. Sometimes fire can be misjudged; people are cautious of something so beautiful and mystical but burns to the touch. Fire spreads like a disease, consuming everything in its path. It devours and destroys, and can completely decimate a forest. But there is another side to fire. It warms people and cooks their food. Without it, human civilization could have simply not existed. It's two sided; like a double edge broad sword. A fickle and hardly constant thing; but you just simply cannot live without it._

_There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty. _

_Steve Maraboli_

Eyes opening, a room full of sleep deprived teenagers got up groggily. A bunch of mumbles coming from the group, they stretched their backs and groaned.

Katara was bouncing off the walls. "Rise and shine! We have a three day car ride in front of us!" Picking people up from their sleeping bags, she tried to usher her friends to the car. "Come on, we packed everything last night! Let's do this!"

Zuko rubbed his eyes. Walking over to the hyper Katara, he put his broad hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. "Katara. Shut up."

Katara smiled even more. "Come on, get in the cars!"

After a begging, pleading Katara managed to get Toph out of bed, everyone grabbed breakfast and squeezed into the cars.

Sokka groaned. "Why are we renting cars again?" He complained loudly, getting into the driver's seat with Suki behind him and Aang and Toph in the back. _This is ridiculous. My car is way hotter than this._

Katara rolled her eyes. "Because this hybrid probably gets three times as many miles to the gallon as any of our cars and you know it." Slipping into the passenger seat, she smiled at Ty Lee in the back and Zuko putting the keys in the car. "You don't even know how excited I am to get out of here!"

Toph rolled her eyes. "This road trip is going to take forever, Katara. It better be beautiful."

As it turned out, the car ride was not extremely beautiful. The landscape was breathtaking, but there weren't too many stops on the way. They stopped in all of the big cities on the way, but there weren't that many to see. It was currently two in the morning, and Katara and Suki were driving their separate cars being very unimpressed with the late night scenery.

"Why again are we driving nonstop?" Zuko asked, head throbbing. They had passed a lot of farmland and forest. At first the snowy mountains and plains were gorgeous, but now it was getting old.

Katara sighed. Did he not know she was just as tired as he was? "Because we're too broke to buy plane tickets." Counting the stop lights was getting tiring. It was so difficult to keep her eyes open. "Isn't it Ty Lee's turn in about an hour?"

Zuko yawned. "Yeah, I think it is. But Suki's stopping right there." Pointing at a gas station, Katara slowly turned into the exit and stopped at the gas station. "Can… can you fill up the gas?" She said, yawning halfway through her sentence.

Zuko nodded. Getting out, he slowly pumped the gas alongside Suki. "How's it going, Suki?" He asked tiredly.

The cheerleader smiled, blinking behind her glasses. "I'm starting to miss my purple contacts and my pom poms." She joked, taking the gas pump out. "Uh… I think your girlfriends asleep."

Zuko looked back. Suki was right about one thing, Katara had passed out at the wheel. "She isn't my girlfriend!" He said, annoyed. Taking the gas pump out and paying, he slammed the buttons and then slammed the car door. Waking up both Ty Lee and Katara, he felt angry stares. "What? You both need to be awake. You're driving and you're going to be driving in an hour. So get up and follow Suki." He said angrily, crossing his arms and looking at Katara.

She sighed, too tired to be her usual fiery self. "Okay, Zuko." Starting the car and following after Suki, she could tell this was going to be a long trip.

Switching off with Ty Lee while Suki switched off with Aang, the road was eerily quiet. Of course, it would be at two in the morning. Getting in the back of the car, Katara raised an eyebrow at Zuko. "Well, aren't you going to get in the front?"

Zuko rolled his eyes."Why would I do that?" It was much more comfortable in the back of the car. Plus, you couldn't really get to sleep in the front. The chair wouldn't recline far enough for comfort. _She can deal with it. _

Katara smiled tiredly, realizing how thoroughly exhausted she was. "Hey." She said, touching his shoulder. "I know you're tired. It's not a big deal. Just get some sleep, okay?" Rolling up her jacket, she made a makeshift pillow and began to lull off.

Zuko felt a little guilty for being annoying. _Why am I so bad at being good? _ Leaning his head back, he struggled to find a good way to sleep. _You'll get to sleep eventually._

Faintly feeling the car stop, Zuko's eyes slowly cracked open. Seeing Ty Lee looking back at him, he groaned. "What is it, Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee giggled. "Look."

Wondering what she was talking about. Zuko looked down, and immediately understood. Somewhere in the time they were asleep, Zuko had fallen on top of Katara and she was literally in a crevice between Zuko and the car door.

"Your head was on top of hers. It was so cute. Your auras totally match, too." Ty Lee babbled on.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You know I don't believe in that nonsense."

Ty Lee laughed. "Its okay, Zuko. Your aura is so red and bright, and hers is a really dark, deep blue."

Zuko couldn't help but smile. "Like the ocean." Moving off of Katara, he moved her shoulder gently until she woke up. "Katara, wake up. We're in… uh…"

Katara smiled sleepily, yawning. "Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Breakfast stop. Got it, Zuko. Let's grab some grub."

Nodding deftly, he got out of the car and walked into the small diner. "So what's for breakfast here?"

Katara smiled. "Everything."

Yagoda's Diner, as the sign outside the building stated, was a quaint little place tucked away in Sioux Falls. It was small, and it seemed family owned. At least it seemed to be, considering all of the waiters and waitresses had tan skin, blue eyes, and hugged Sokka and Katara tightly.

Katara smiled brightly. "Guys, this is Yagoda. She's excellent at what she does." After getting everyone to shake the old woman's hand, she ushered them to a table. "Let's do this quick! We don't have time to waste."

Toph rolled her eyes. "Look, Sugar Queen. I know you're excited for this trip, but you should be grateful I got out of the car. I will eat slowly and savor every bite." Looking at the confused waitress, she ignored the menu given to her. "Give me everything you'd recommend."

The waitress blubbered. "But Miss…"

Sokka smiled. Touching her arm, he got her attention. "It's okay, Nini. Toph is just a little special. Bring her waffles, please?" He asked politely. "And I'll have the monster pancakes with sausage links. Oh, and bacon. Can you just bring a plate of that?" He asked excited.

Nini looked on the edge of a break down. "Is that all?"

Sokka shook his head. "Can you bring us a thing of chicken?"

Nini blinked. "But it's ten in the morning."

Laughing, Suki shook her head. "Ignore him. Can you please bring four plates of waffles and four plates of pancakes, all with sausage and bacon?"

Nini let out a sigh of relief. Finally, _someone _made sense.

Aang pouted. "But I'm vegetarian."

Toph flicked him on the side of his head. "So Meat Head can take yours. We good here?"

Zuko scratched his head. "Where's Katara?"

Standing at the back of the store, Katara shuffled a picture of Ursa to Yagoda. "She went missing five years ago."

Yagoda stared disapprovingly, not sure whether or not to take the picture. "That is an awfully long time, Katara." They both knew what it meant when someone was gone that long with no explanation and no contact.

Katara kept the picture outstretched. "It repays the debt, Yagoda. If you do this for me, we will be even. What I did for you Irniq will be repaid."

Yagoda's eyes popped. "Katara, what you did for my son can never be repaid." Taking the picture, she scanned the woman's face. "I will do what I can. Have you talked to Jun yet?"

Katara smiled. "No, we will get into Nashville around midnight."

Moving her finger around the picture's edges, Yagoda let out a chuckle. "What better time to find her?"

Nodding, Katara fixed her hair back. It had really become a mess since she had gotten in the car yesterday.

Yagoda rolled her eyes. Clucking her tongue, she grabbed a brush out of a drawer. "Your hair is a mess! Let me do it for you." Setting out to conquer the thick brown locks, a thought came into her mind. "Who is the woman to you?"

Katara smiled wistfully. "She is my best friend's mother. Her name is Ursa, and she was married to President Ozai."

After leaving Sioux Falls, the car ride remained a monotonous view of farmland for a few hours. Then, the scenery changed. "Why are there so many state areas here?" Sokka whined. It was true, the entire place was one huge park and nature area. At least, that's what all of the signs said.

The place was still acres and acres of farmland, but there were many signs and exits with directions towards recreation places. "It's in the middle of nowhere, and it's all this public access." Suki commented, having almost finished her shift as driver. "Where are we stopping?"

They had picked up fast food on the highway, and no one had really needed to stop and get out of the car for the entire time. They were reaching their fifth hour of straight driving, but most of the teens were too tired to care anyways. "I think we're stopping in Kansas City. Katara said that we should be sitting down for dinner around six. I don't know where, though."

Sokka rubbed his stomach enthusiastically. "I hope it's a buffet."

The Fusion Buffet in Kansas City was the gods' gift to Sokka. With Chinese, Korean, and Japanese food all fused into one huge buffet line, it was the perfect place for seven hungry teens. They had barely gotten in the restaurant before Sokka trampled over children to get to the buffet line. Seeing his sister's disapproving glare, he groaned. "What? I'm a growing boy. I need it more."

Always the giver, Sokka was. "Please get in the back of line like the rest of your civilized friends, Sokka." Katara said, gritting her teeth. All this time on the road was making Katara want to throw sharp objects at her brother. Actually, almost everyone was on the verge of murdering at least person on the trip. _Maybe we need a break._ Sitting down at a large table, she thought it over. "What do you guys think about us taking a break tonight and renting a hotel room?"

Toph looked she was about to cry at the idea of having an actual bed to sleep in. "That's the most beautiful idea I've ever heard, Katara." Sniffling a little, she let a smirk go across her face. "I call sleeping with Aang!"

Aang's eyes widened before he thought about it and smiled back. "I think that's fair."

Sokka smiled and moved slightly closer to Suki. "Well, if our rooms are going to be co-ed, then I think that I'll be sleeping with Suki."

Ty Lee pouted. "Aw, Sokka! I wish you would room with me." Seeing Suki's glare, she smiled sheepishly. "What? He's really cute." Picking out a suspicious piece of squid, she wrinkled her nose. _Calamari is supposed to be raw, right?_

Katara laughed at Ty Lee. "Hey, watch it. Little sister here!" Grabbing a few egg rolls off the buffet line, she nudged Zuko in the stomach. "I guess that means we'll be in a hotel room… all alone." She whispered sultrily.

Zuko nearly choked on the piece of chicken he had just snuck off his plate. Laughing uncontrollably, he put his tray down and shook his head. "You are a piece of work."

Shrugging, she grabbed a dumpling off his plate. "Without a doubt."

Sitting down at a table, the group began to eat their well deserved meals. In a flurry of plates, steaming food, and chopsticks, the food was easily attacked. Sokka was trying to explain to Aang how to eat food. Apparently, there was a certain order of spiciness that you had to eat dishes in. In the meantime, Suki was glaring at the gymnast who was leaning a little too close to Sokka. Who does Ty Lee think she is, anyways? The girl had her long braid swooped over her shoulder, and her pink crop top shirt's collar hanging very low. She had this habit of speaking very loudly, but then speaking very close in her target's ear and rubbing her fingertip on their arm. The technique was working extremely well on Sokka, much to Suki's chagrin. Having had enough of this, she grabbed Sokka's ear. "Hey babe, focus on your food. We don't have to have girl boy rooms you know."

Sokka paled. Nodding, he scooted away from Ty Lee and ate another piece of spicy tuna rolls.

Toph laughed. Watching the three of them fight was almost as good as watching Katara and Zuko. "Sokka, Suki has you whipped."

The ponytailed boy opened his mouth to argue, but was jabbed in the side by Suki. Seeing that she had her _don't-you-say-anything-or-I-will-kill-you _face on, he sighed. "Yeah, I guess she does." He muttered, trying to ignore the laughter around him.

Korra cracked her knuckles, flexing and rolling her shoulders. Shifting quickly on her feet, she sprang into action. Taking a wide step to the side, she hit a few punches at the weight bag before dropping to the ground and rolling back. Wiping a bead of sweat off her tan forehead, she shook out her arms and smiled. "How was that?"

Bolin smiled enthusiastically. "Excellent, Korra! You're doing really well." He had to admit, Korra was adapting extremely well to the techniques. She was beginning to look like a real threat. Not that she didn't always, though. The girl was solid muscle, and had a real passion on the floor. "We should spar sometime."

Korra grinned and nodded her head. Bolin wouldn't go easy on her, but he'd be able to give her more tips. "Sure, why-"

There was a loud crash in another room. Korra and Bolin both snapped their heads around, looking curiously at the source of the noise. Bolin was the first to move, rushing over. Korra followed afterwards, still confused as to what happened. _Did someone's weight drop?_

They were almost to the room when Hasook, a vaguely familiar face to Korra, stormed out of the room followed by Mako. The guy looked extremely angry, and was ignoring all of the words Mako was saying. "_Ridiculous_, man! You haven't been giving it your all. If you aren't going to put everything you have into this, you need to stop. You're bringing Bolin and I down."

Hasook rolled his eyes. "I don't need this, and I don't need your stupid MMA team. I'm out of here." Taking off his arm guards, he threw them on the floor and stomped out.

Mako squinted his eyes and crossed his arms. "Fine, just leave! We're better off without you!" Kicking the arm guard laying on the ground, he groaned. _Damn it, Hasook! _

Bolin put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Easy there, bro. We'll make it work." Looking at Korra, he smiled. "We have Korra, right? She's doing really well. You should give her a chance."

Looking up and down at Korra, Mako it back a groan. _This girl? We're really picking her up? She's a fine roommate, but really? _"No way, Bolin."

Korra bit her tongue, aware that she had to deal with this guy for the next six months if they got in a fight. _He's your roommate, Korra. You have to deal with him. _"You haven't even seen me. I've been working with Bolin a lot while you were off sulking."

"I was not off sulking!" Mako yelled, stomping his foot childishly. "I've been very busy."

"With what, exactly? Acting like you're better than everyone else?" Korra said, poking him in his chest. She continued jabbing him, backing him up. "come on, pretty boy. Hit me."

"Korra!" Bolin yelled, breaking them apart. Seeing the two of them glaring at each other, he sighed. "What is the problem with you guys? Take a breather."

Mako groaned. "She started it!" Why on Earth had they taken in the crazy girl?

Having managed to drive another six hours after dinner, the Gaang finally arrived in Nashville. Walking slowly into the dinky little motel, the seven exhausted teenagers made their way towards the three rooms. Shoulders slumping over, they were all extremely grateful that they had left their bags in the cars. Finding their way to the side by side rooms, they fiddled with the keys and unlocked the rusty doorknobs. Ty Lee sprang into the room, still quite energetic. "Well, the rooms have character!" She said positively, doing a cartwheel before stopping abruptly. Holding her stomach, it let out a large groan.

Immediately, Ty Lee's face went green. "I _knew _that squid tasted funny." As she dashed into the room's only bathroom, Katara and Zuko winced at the sound of her hurling.

Katara walked slowly into the bathroom, finding Ty Lee curled around the gnarly toilet. "Are you gonna be okay? I can go find a drugstore…" She offered, rubbing the gymnast's back. _Poor kid, she'll probably be here all night. _

Ty Lee shook her head before more of what used to be dinner came out of her mouth, much to her chagrin. "No, I'm okay. I guess I'll be taking the couch, though."

Zuko's back straightened out a little. "Absolutely not!"

Katara glared at him. "It's okay Ty Lee, I can stay up with you if you want."

Ty Lee smiled. "You're so nice, Katara. I wish I was like you." Feeling another wave coming, she vomited into the toilet again. "This is so nasty. Can you guys please just go to sleep?"

Katara had to admit, the idea was extremely appealing. Leaving the bathroom and closing the door slowly behind her, she took off her shirt and walked towards the bed. _Please don't have bedbugs. _Seeing Zuko was already in bed and nestled under the blankets, she noticed a problem. "I sleep on that side."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. Here Katara was, in a strapless undershirt and pajama shorts, trying to tell him that he had to move because he was sleeping on _her _side? If she was trying to intimidate him, her plan wasn't working very well. "Well not tonight, you don't."

Letting out a huff of frustration, she crossed her arms. "Fine, but I'm not getting in bed if you're just going to-" Out of nowhere, Zuko had leaned across the bed and pulled her into it. Hand wrapped around her waist, she was dragged, albeit gently, into the motel bed.

"Shut up and go to sleep." Zuko murmured, digging his face into his pillow.

For the first time that day, Katara smiled. "If you insist, Mister grumpy face." Slipping under the covers, she could feel the heat radiating off Zuko. It was spring break, but it was still cold up in the North. _He's like a personal fire. _Pretending to close her eyes, she feigned sleep.

About half an hour later, Ty Lee left the bathroom and fell asleep on the couch. Hearing the constant, rhythmic fall of her chest, Katara realized that it was her chance. Throwing her shirt back on, she grabbed the car keys off the nightstand and slid back into her shoes. Slowly opening the hotel room door, she snuck out into the hall. _Time to pay a visit to Jun. _

Finding Jun wasn't especially hard. She was, of course, at her favorite bar. Besides, there weren't many people that looked the same way Jun did. Upon seeing Katara, the heavily tattooed and pierced woman stood up and smiled. "Katara! Long time no see." Finishing off her beer, she slammed it down on the bar. "Two more, please." She said, holding up two fingers for the bartender.

Katara shook her head and smiled. "After all these years, you still buy me alcohol. Didn't last summer teach you anything?"

Jun smiled. "Yeah, it did. It taught me you're a hilarious drunk, and that I should bet on you in drinking contests. Unless it's against me, of course." Letting out a burp, she nodded at herself, as if to say _good job, that was a good one_. "So what are you here for? I know that you aren't in Nashville just to see me."

Katara blushed. Jun was always so good at finding people's ulterior motives. Picking up her beer that the bartender had just sat down, she sighed. "Is Nyla still in commission?"

Jun perked up noticeably, which clashed with her dark makeup. "Of course she is. We're always up for a good job. Who are you looking for?" Spirits, it had been a while since Jun had a decent job. She hated to admit it, but she was going to lose her touch if she didn't track _someone_.

Katara rubbed the back of her head. "Uh, it's Ursa. We need to find her."

Jun's eyebrow raised. "We need to find her? _We_? Alright, Katara. Who are you working for? And whoever it is, you can tell them to screw off. I've had half a dozen people try to find her, and there's nothing. No scent, no trail. Everything's too old for Nyla to smell."

Katara tried to not let Jun get too her. "I'm not working for anyone, Jun. The _Painted Lady_," she said, dropping her voice low so no eavesdroppers could hear who she was, "does not take orders from anyone. I'm doing it for my friend. Would family blood be enough to get a scent?"

Jun shrugged. "It depends. If she wore a lot of perfume, probably not. If they were extremely close- a daughter, her father, I don't know- then there's a chance. A small chance, though. I don't usually push Nyla too hard."

Katara grabbed her beer, noticing that it had been refilled. "It's her son. It would mean a lot to him and his sister." _And me. _

Jun noticed the way she looked at her drink after finishing her sentence. "And to you." Seeing Katara try to disagree, she rolled her eyes. "Save it. I can read you like a book, Kat." Looking at a burly man in the back corner, she smirked. "Tell you what. If you can beat that guy in arm wrestling, I'll do it."

Katara smiled. Chugging the rest of her drink, she slammed it down and sauntered over to the huge man. "Excuse me, sir? My friend and I had a bet. Can we arm wrestle?" She said, batting her eyes widely and jutting out one of her hips.

The guy smiled, stroking his beard. "Okay, miss. But I'm warning you, Arm wrestling isn't the only thing I'm good at." Clearing off his table, he noticed they had drawn a crowd.

Katara smiled. "I'm sure you're a man of many talents." Rolling her shirt up, she put up one sleeveless bicep. Feeling Jun's eyes staring at the back of her neck, she lowered herself a little, exposing some cleavage. "Are you ready?"

The man grinned, putting up one of his arms. "Okay, ready? One… Two… Three." He said, planning to slam her hand down. Nope. Much to his horror, the girl was beating him. His eyes widened ad his hand bent back at more of an angle. Pushing against her hand, his face contorted as he tried anything he could do to beat her. Alas, his hand hit the wooden table with a thud.

For a second, there was silence in the dinky bar. Then, a drunken roar cascaded over Katara and she was given a few slobbery kisses on her cheek. Taking the surprised and beaten man's beer, she smiled. "Thank you very much." Walking back to Jun with the guy's beer, she smirked.

Jun laughed. "I knew you would beat him."

Katara gulped down the last of his drink, nodding. "Oh, I know." Putting the glass down and reaching for her own, she glared at the bartender. "Don't you even _think _about cutting me off!" Seeing Jun's glare, she shrugged. "Last one, I promise."

Jun raised her beer, touching it to Katara's. "Fair enough. I'll catch up to you about Ursa after the break, okay? Enjoy yourself before you drag you and your boyfriend through hell."

Katara opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out. Putting a twenty beside Jun, she shook her head. "He's not my boyfriend."

Jun smiled. "Whatever you say, Kat. Have fun."

Katara entered the hotel room, a little louder than she left. Slipping off her shoes, shirt, and shorts, she put the keys down and dissolved into a puddle beside Zuko.

Zuko's eyes cracked, watching a very awake Katara slip back into bed. "Where were you?" He asked, checking the time. It was four in the morning. _How long was she gone? _

Katara rolled her eyes, getting into the bed sheets. "I was just in the bathroom."

Zuko frowned. "You smell like cheap beer."

Katara giggled. "I'm going to sleep."

Sighing, Zuko rolled back over. It was better not to question her actions.

And for the first time the whole trip, they fell into a dreamless sleep.

**So Korra and Ursa are both starting to become a real part in the story! Do you like it? You should tell me. Do you hate it? Then you should tell me. Either way, review! **

**Love y'all, thanks for reading. **

**R&R!**


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